Nihal Tauro is a playback and live-stage singer from Alangar, near Moodbidri in Karnataka, who finished as the fourth runner-up of Indian Idol 12 in 2021. Before that national run he had already sung for Kannada films such as Premier Padmini and Love Mocktail. In 2026 he voiced the title song of Sooraj Barjatya’s Yeh Prem Mol Liya alongside Shreya Ghoshal, and in October he went back to Sony’s stage as one of the 24 returning singers on Indian Idol 17: Legends Return, partnered with Senjuti Das.
| Nihal Tauro — Quick Biography & Personal Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nihal Tauro |
| Profession | Singer, Songwriter, Composer |
| Date of Birth | Not confirmed by any reliable source |
| Age | Unknown, as no birth date is on record |
| Hometown | Alangar, Moodbidri (Mangaluru region), Karnataka |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Schooling | Jenny School, Tamil Nadu |
| College | Bachelor of Commerce (in progress as of 2021) |
| Father | Herald Tauro (banker, former church choirmaster) |
| Mother | Precilla Tauro (teacher) |
| Sibling | Younger brother, Nishan Tauro |
| First Reality Show | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Kannada, season 15 (Zee Kannada) |
| Indian Idol 12 | 4th runner-up (fifth place), 2021 |
| Current Show | Legends Return, season 17 of Indian Idol (Sony, 2026); partner: Senjuti Das |
| Net Worth | No reliably verified figure has been published |
| Favourite Singer | Arijit Singh |
Early Life and Family
Nihal grew up in Alangar, close to Moodbidri in the Mangaluru region, and belongs to the Mount Rosary Church parish there. His father, Herald Tauro, works in a bank and his mother, Precilla Tauro, is a teacher, as Daijiworld reported during the Indian Idol 12 finale week. He has one sibling, a younger brother named Nishan.
Music came from home. Herald had once led a church choir, and a profile released by the Diocese of Mangalore in August 2021 credits his father as the person who drew him to music, adding that Nihal had leaned towards singing from the age of four. The same profile says he finished school at Jenny School in Tamil Nadu and was studying for a B.Com. degree at the time.
His father also shaped his taste in language. Speaking to The Times of India in October 2021, Nihal said his dad had always wanted him to sing in Hindi, and that Bollywood was where he hoped to end up.
Career
Regional contests and Kannada films
Nihal’s first televised contest was season 15 of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Kannada on Zee Kannada, the show that first made his voice known across the state. Closer to home he took the Daijiworld Studio Voice title in 2017, and by 2021 he had also sung at concerts for audiences in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. He told The Times of India that he had been recording studio tracks for albums ever since he was in the third grade.
Film work followed. Composer Arjun Janya picked him for Premier Padmini, describing him to The Times of India as a new voice from Sa Re Ga Ma Pa whom he had cast for a country-flavoured number. That song, “Naa Huduko Naale”, is on the soundtrack of the Kannada comedy, which reached cinemas in Karnataka on 26 April 2019. A year later he sang “Neene Yendigu”, a Raghu Dixit composition for Darling Krishna’s romantic drama Love Mocktail (2020).
Selected songs
| Year | Song | Film / Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Naa Huduko Naale | Premier Padmini (Kannada) | Music: Arjun Janya |
| 2020 | Neene Yendigu | Love Mocktail (Kannada) | Music: Raghu Dixit |
| 2021 | Agarr Tumm Naa Hote | Himesh Ke Dil Se | Solo, released 20 September 2021 |
| 2021 | Mehendi Ka Ranngg | Himesh Ke Dil Se | Duet with Sayli Kamble, released 11 November 2021 |
| 2026 | Yeh Prem Mol Liya (title track) | Yeh Prem Mol Liya (Hindi) | With Shreya Ghoshal; music: Himesh Reshammiya |
Indian Idol 12 (2020–2021)
Nihal tried out for Indian Idol 12 on Sony Entertainment Television in 2020 and was handed a Golden Ticket by the judges. The audition gave him the moment he later called his favourite of the whole season: judge Himesh Reshammiya offered him a song on the spot, which he went on to record in Himesh’s studio as what he described as his debut. In a Times of India interview he said his main reason for entering was to try every kind of song, from fast numbers to romantic ballads and falsetto, and to learn from fellow contestants such as Shanmukha Priya and Pawandeep Rajan.
By July 2021 he was in the Top 7 and had been allowed a short trip home, his first in 6-7 months; he said he had never imagined such a crowd would turn out to see him. Off camera, he and Mohd Danish spent spare time planting saplings around the lawn of the hotel where contestants stayed. “Being a true nature lover, planting trees is my side hobby,” he told IWMBuzz.
He made the final six with Pawandeep Rajan, Arunita Kanjilal, Sayli Kamble, Mohd Danish and Shanmukha Priya. In the 15 August 2021 finale Pawandeep took the trophy and Nihal finished as fourth runner-up; The Quint and The Hitavada reported that he and Danish were each handed a cheque for Rs 3 lakh. Asked later whether he had pictured himself going that far, he admitted he had not even expected the Top 15, and said Pawandeep deserved the win as “a complete musician”.
His return home on 19 August 2021 was a public event. His parents, his brother, parish priests and former MLC Ivan D’Souza met him at Mangaluru International Airport, he called on Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha the same day, and a felicitation at Kannada Bhavan in Moodbidri was planned afterwards. “I owe my parents all my achievements,” he said at the Bishop’s House.
After Indian Idol
The song Himesh had promised arrived as part of his Himesh Ke Dil Se album, which gave several Indian Idol 12 finalists their own releases. Nihal sang the solo “Agarr Tumm Naa Hote” in September 2021 and paired with Sayli Kamble on “Mehendi Ka Ranngg” that November.
Stage shows became a steady part of his work, often for church and Konkani community events. In late 2022 he performed at Ray 2022, a fundraiser by the IC Colony parish in Borivli, on a bill with Remo Fernandes; he told The Times of India it was his first show in Mumbai and that he would sing in Hindi, Konkani and Kannada if the crowd asked. In December 2025 he headlined “Dabazo”, a live concert on the Kulashekar Church grounds in Mangaluru staged by the Konkani Cultural Organization Trust with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, as reported by News Karnataka.
His biggest Hindi film credit so far came in September 2026. The title song of Yeh Prem Mol Liya, Sooraj Barjatya’s family drama starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sharvari, was released on 21 September with Nihal and Shreya Ghoshal as the singers and Himesh Reshammiya as composer, according to The Times of India. The film is slated to open in cinemas on 27 November 2026.
Nihal Tauro in Indian Idol 17: Legends Return (2026)
The 17th season of Indian Idol, titled Legends Return, brought back 24 former contestants and split them into 12 pairs. The first episode went out on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at 8 pm on Sony Entertainment Television, streaming on Sony LIV too, and the show airs each weekend. Himesh Reshammiya, one of the judges on Nihal’s own season, returned as the Superstar Judge, and Aditya Narayan hosts. A twist this time is that the singers are marked by Himesh and also by one another.
Sony’s line-up, as carried by Indian Broadcasting World, named Nihal’s partner as Senjuti Das, who had finished seventh in Indian Idol 13. His season 12 friend Sayli Kamble is also back, paired with Ashish Kulkarni, while Mohd Danish sings with Salman Ali. Every duo of the season, with each singer’s earlier result, is listed in our guide to the Legends Return line-up.
Lesser-Known Facts
- He calls himself a huge fan of Arijit Singh, and his stated dream is to sing playback for Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.
- His pick for a favourite Kishore Kumar song is “Dilbar Mere” from Satte Pe Satta.
- Gardening is a hobby: during Indian Idol 12 he and Mohd Danish planted saplings at their hotel.
- He was singing for Kannada films before Indian Idol ever came along.
- Apart from performing, he is also known as a songwriter and composer.
FAQ About Nihal Tauro
What is Nihal Tauro’s net worth?
No reliably verified figure has been published.
Who is Nihal Tauro?
He is a singer from Alangar near Moodbidri, Karnataka, who came fifth (fourth runner-up) in Indian Idol 12 and has returned for the Legends Return season in 2026.
How old is Nihal Tauro?
No trustworthy outlet has published his birth date, so we cannot state his age.
Where is Nihal Tauro from?
He is from Alangar, near Moodbidri, in the Mangaluru region of Karnataka.
What was Nihal Tauro’s position in Indian Idol 12?
He was the fourth runner-up, finishing fifth. Pawandeep Rajan won the season.
Who is Nihal Tauro’s partner in Indian Idol 17?
Senjuti Das, a former Indian Idol 13 contestant, according to Sony’s announced pairs.
Who are Nihal Tauro’s parents?
His father is Herald Tauro, a banker, and his mother is Precilla Tauro, a teacher. He has a younger brother, Nishan.
Which songs has Nihal Tauro sung?
His songs include “Naa Huduko Naale” (Premier Padmini), “Neene Yendigu” (Love Mocktail), “Agarr Tumm Naa Hote” and “Mehendi Ka Ranngg” (Himesh Ke Dil Se), and the title track of Yeh Prem Mol Liya with Shreya Ghoshal.
Related Biographies
- Sayli Kamble Biography: second runner-up of Indian Idol 12 and his duet partner on “Mehendi Ka Ranngg”
- Mohd Danish Biography: third runner-up of Indian Idol 12 and a fellow Legends Return contestant
- Indian Idol 17 Contestants List: all 12 pairs of Legends Return
