"Hahaha... I can't understand why people constantly speak about the romantic quality in my voice. I have never made a conscious effort to sing with an extra romantic effect. But, I do enjoy love songs, as I am a romantic person."

"The focus is only on singing. But a National Award is like a pat on the back as it's given to the best. Being awarded is also nerve-racking as the expectations and pressure rise. But it just motivates me to work harder."

"Bollywood film music composers are under a lot of pressure to add elements of disco or bhangra or any other flavour currently popular with the youth. But when it comes to regional films, composers are given a free hand and they compose music they believe in. I think it's a matter of great pride to be singing such soulful tunes."

"Oh, I have a special way of writing the lyrics when it is dictated to me. No matter what the language of the song, even if it is Bengali, I write it in Hindi. I have certain notations and markings to indicate the way it should be pronounced. I feel the Devanagari script is the closest to the phonetics of the language. English alphabets are not very good for that purpose. Moreover, I listen carefully and try to grasp as much as possible when the lyrics are read to me."

"Seriously! Acting in films is not my cup of tea. The joy I find in being a pucca musician is unparalleled."

"A studio is like a meditation room where music is created. And a live performance is the place where the creation of the studio is taken ahead. I love both."

"I love the idea of waking up to a song. It could be any song."

"I think today there is space and work available for everyone out here. Earlier the scenario was different. Like there was a time when there was monopoly, only two or three singers would get to sing...It was difficult that time. But today the emphasis is on newness, novelty, so there is room for everyone."

"I am not a competitive person. I am a kind who will cheer for every one who is stepping up the stage for the award and I congratulate all the nominees and the winners along with me. Because according to me all the singers who were nominated are best as they sang different kinds of songs."

"An award means a lot to me. It brings happiness along with a kind of fear. It brings fear because the award is the responsibility which audiences have put on us. So a singer winning an award should always try to give best of him to the audiences."

"To me, music is oxygen and I know that someday even if I can't sing, I can always continue listening to it."

"As someone who worships music, I believe it can never be ugly!"

"I actually have a lot of couples coming and telling me that one of my songs was instrumental in strengthening their romance."