Sharda Krishnamurthi (her real name) was in Delhi till she was 15. Her father was an official in the Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry, and she was exposed to classical music and dance from a very young age. Her mother was very keen that she learnt music.
Since there was no good teacher available in Delhi for Carnatic music, her mother decided that she should learn Hindustani music. Her neighbours, a Bengali couple, were like second parents to her (Kavita lived with the lady in Mumbai till her marriage) and at their suggestion, she also learnt Rabindra Sangeet. This lady also knew Jaya Chakravarty, actress Hema Malini’s mother, when the latter stayed in Delhi. On a visit to Mumbai, Jaya suggested that she try her luck in films. Her father was against a career in cinema, but Kavita assured him that she would complete her college education first. She did her B.A. in Economics at St. Xaviers’ College, Mumbai.
She is critically acclaimed for having a unique and versatile voice and was often assigned to sing difficult tracks. Some songs she has sung include: "Tumse Milkar Na Jaane Kyon," "Hawa Hawai," "Julie, Julie," "Mera Piya Ghar," "Aaj Mein Upar," and she was the only soundtrack vocalist for music director, R. D. Burman’s movie, 1942: A Love Story. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005. She is married to L. Subramaniam, a famous violinist with whom she occasionally collab.
She began her recording career in 1971. Her first recording for a Bengali film song was a duet with poets-and-dancers/lata-mangeshkar" href="/great-musicians-dancers/lata-mangeshkar" >Lata Mangeshkar. "Maang Bharo Sajna” was her first Hindi film under Sri poets-and-dancers/laxmikant" href="/great-musicians-dancers/laxmikant" >Laxmikant Pyarelal followed by "Pyar Jhukta Nahin". Since then, she has sung for many more films like Mr. India, Karma, Saudagar, Khuda Gawah, Chaalbaaz, 1942 - A Love Story, Yaarana, Mohara, Bombay, Saaz, Khamoshi, Pardesh, Bhairavi, Agnisakshi, Prem Agan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan, Wajood, Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam, Taal, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Vaastav, Khoobsurat, Gaja Gamini, Pukar, Dil Chahta Hai, Devdas, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, Jeena Sirf Tere Liye, The Rising, etc. Many of her songs have gone platinum.
She has lent her voice to heroines from Nutan, Helen, Shabana Azmi, Sridevi, Madhuri, Manisha, Kajol to Karishma, Aishwarya, Kareena and Rani Mukherjee.
“She is one of India’s most celebrated Hindi film singers… Together, L. Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurti symbolize the best in music - global and Indian, classical and contemporary, instrumental and vocal…”