Merugu Sandhya hails from Gharshakurti village in Karimnagar district. Despite financial challenges, her parents, Merugu Devamma and Mallesham, supported her singing passion. Sandhya pursued a postgraduate degree in Public Administration but had a keen interest in music from a young age. She taught herself to sing and began performing in the 7th grade, often singing devotional songs at cultural events with her elder brother, Shyam.
In 2009, Sandhya’s first song was recorded on a cassette. Its success led her to perform in cultural programs across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and beyond, establishing her as a professional singer. Over 24 years since 2000, she has performed around 5,000 times on stage and recorded more than 200 songs in private albums. Her popularity soared with the 2018 TV9 song, ‘Pasidi Phula Bathukamma.’
In 2024, Sandhya achieved a remarkable feat by singing 72 songs with live music for six hours in a program organized by the Salwaji Praveena Musical Group in Karimnagar. This achievement set five world records, including the Bharat World Record and the Singer Book of World Record. Her husband, Salwaji Praveen, played a crucial role in this success.
Sandhya’s talent has been recognized with numerous awards. The Karimnagar Folk Arts Academy honored her with the Grameen Kalajyoti Award in 2016. In 2017, she received the Telangana Punarnikta Award from the Kala Ravali Society Cultural Association in Huzurabad. The Tara Arts Academy awarded her the Swara Mayuka Puraskar in 2019 at Rabindra Bharati. In 2021, the Karimnagar Film Society presented her with the Distinguished Women Award-2024 during International Women’s Day.
In 2022, the Sushila Narayana Reddy Trust gave her the Sinare Memorial Award, presented by senior film artist Tanikella Bharani. That year, she also received the Ghantasala Kala Puraskar from the Ghantasala Cultural Academy and Sri Lambodhara Cultural Academy in Sirisilla. In 2023, the Folk Arts Academy presented her with the SP Balu Memorial Award in Hyderabad. The following year, the Kala Ravali Socio-Cultural Association honored her with the Telangana Kala Ratna Award.
In 2024, the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation acknowledged her contributions by granting her the Telangana Talent and Inspiration-2024 Award. Sandhya expressed her gratitude to her husband, parents, friends, and well-wishers for their constant encouragement, which helped her achieve these milestones.
