# Koili Devi

_Nepali composer_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/koili-devi
Last updated: 2026-10-02

> Koili Devi Mathema was the first woman lyricist as well singer and composer in the Nepali music industry. She is also referred to as 'Cuckoo bird', a title derived from the meaning of her name 'Koili' in Nepali. It is apt with the description of the Cuckoo bird, known for a melodious and sweet voice. With the help of her aunt, she entered into the palace of Singh Sumsher JBR at the age of 11 years, as a helper. He referred to her as Koili after listening to her melodious voice, after which she became known as Koili Devi, the name that gave her success and fame. She used to sing and dance in the Singha Durbar. Around the year 2007 B.S., after the establishment of democracy in the country, she became an independent singer in Radio Nepal. She belongs to the first generation of Nepali singers who became professional singers. Her songs have also been used in several movies and dramas across the country.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1 January 1929 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13180267#P569))
- **Died:** 21 December 2007 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13180267#P570))
- **Place of death:** Kathmandu ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13180267#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Nepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13180267#P27))
- **Occupation:** singer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13180267#P106))

## Questions

**When was Koili Devi born?**  
Koili Devi was born on 1 January 1929.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Koili Devi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koili_Devi) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): कोइली देवी मथेमा](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q13180267](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13180267) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Koili Devi, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

## Cite this page

"Koili Devi". DigiNepal. Last updated 2 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/koili-devi. Retrieved 9 November 2026.