Sushma Shrestha, also known as Poornima Shrestha, is a popular Indian playback singer who has lent her voice for many Hindi, Marathi and Nepali songs. She began her music career in the film industry as a child artist. She is most recognized for her song "Kya Hua Tera Vada" from "Hum Kisise Kum Naheen" and "Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle" from "Aa Gale Lag Jaa" and for both the songs she got nominated for the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award. Sushma Shrestha has also sung many non film songs.

Early Life of Sushma Shrestha
Sushma Shrestha was born on 1960 to a famed music composer Bholanath however she lost her father at the tender age of 11. Her music career was set to be launched at an event of the Punjab Association organized by Raj Kapoor, Pran and others. She was about to perform on 12th April 1971 but unfortunately her father died on 11th April owing to a cardiac arrest. However even after the tragedy she received great encouragement from her family and friends and performed at the event. Her singing impressed many and she received a scholarship for studying music.

Career of Sushma Shrestha
Sushma Shrestha entered the music industry at the age of 11 when she sang the hit song "Hai Na Bolo Bolo" in the Ramesh Sippy"s 1971 film "Andaz" under the music direction of Shankar Jaikishan. Her first break arrived when a family friend Chandrakant Bhosle who was an assistant to Shankar Jaikishan recommended her to Shankar. During that time, the system of women playback singers singing for children was in vogue but Shankar decided to take up the challenge of taking an unknown child as a singer. She sang the song along with Suman Kalyanpur, Mohammed Rafi and Pratibha. In her childhood, she has voiced a number of super hit songs like "Yaadon Ki Baarat", "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na" and "Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle Ka Nata Koi". She has worked with many acclaimed music directors of Bollywood such as S. D. Burman, Anil Biswas, C. Ramchandra, Madan Mohan and Naushad and has an enriching experience. She also sang four songs for a children"s album titled "Bal Geet" in which Shanta Shelke authored the songs which were musically composed by the legendary S. Khale. Her ease of singing Marathi songs astonished everybody garnering huge popularity to the album.

After marriage Sushma Shrestha took a temporary break from her singing career. She ceased to perform in stage shows due to which the offers for playback singing also stopped coming in. As Sushma Shreshtha, she last sang the song "Itni Shakti Humein Dena Data" for N. Chandra"s "Ankush" along with Pushpa Pagdhare. Subsequently she focused on jingles for having a steady work schedule. She got an offer from the music company Tips in the 1990s. To leave behind her identity as a child prodigy, the company suggested her to change the name and create a new image. Thus she took up the name Poornima. The song "Barsaat Mein Jab Aayega Saawan Ka Mahina" from the movie "Maa" became a huge hit.

Poornima Shrestha again became a star with the song "Tu Tu Tu Tu Tara" in David Dhawan"s "Bol Radha Bol" as the song went on to become a chartbuster earning huge success to her. Her other songs from the movie were also successful. She worked extensively with Dhawan and sang for many of his films including "Haseena Maan Jayegi", "Biwi No. 1", "Hero No.1" and many more. During that phase she became one of the top-ten selling artistes and her album "Mera Dil Bole Piya Piya" also marked to be a great success. She has also sung many Nepali songs among which the most popular one is "Ali Ali Haar Ho" from the 1980 Nepali movie "Sindoor".

Filmography of Sushma Shrestha
Sushma Shrestha has done playback singing for several films, which are as follows: