Daler Mehndi was born in Patna, Bihar on August 18th, 1967. He was born into a family of musicians who had been singing for seven generations. His early influences on music are his parents, who taught him the ragas and Shabad's from the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

At age 11 inspired by the Patiala Gharana style of Indian Classical Music, he ran away from home in search of the Late Ustad Raahat Ali Khan Sahib of Gorakhpur for lessons. Gave his first stage performance in front of an audience of 20,000 at the age of 13 in Jaunpur where his parents found him standing center-stage, his shoulders overflowing with garlands of flowers, sandalwood and money.

Classical music of the great Indian Maestros heard on radio, concerts and cassettes of the legendary Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Nazakat Ali- Salamat Ali, Mehdi Hasan, Parvaiz Mehdi, Chote Ghulam Ali Khan and the Illahi Kirtan Durbars attended all over India provided him with an introduction into the world of gurmat sangeet, thumri, khayal, ghazal.

By 1991, he formed his own group comprising of his brother's, cousins and musician friends. Daler performed at the Who's Who and within a year was a must have at each socialite's do. By 1995 he was Daler Mehndi, with long flowing robes, bejeweled turban and aspirations of stardom rustling about his head. Mr. Shashi Gopal of Magnasound signed him immediately for a 3 Album Contract for 3 years.