The gazal (Arabic/Pashto/ Persian/Urdu: غزل; ; ; ) is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century Arabic verse. It is derived from the Arabian panegyric qasida. The structural requirements of the ghazal are similar in stringency to those of the Petrarchan sonnet. In its style and content it is a genre which has proved capable of an extraordinary variety of expression around its central themes of love and separation. It is one of the principal poetic forms which the Indo-Perso-Arabic civilization offered to the eastern Islamic world.

The ghazal spread into South Asia in the 12th century under the influence of the new Islamic Sultanate courts and Sufi mystics. Although the ghazal is most prominently a form of Persian and Urdu poetry, today it is found in the poetry of many languages.

Ghazals were written by the Persian mystics and poets Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (13th century) and Hafez (14th century), the Azeri poet Fuzuli (16th century), as well as Mirza Ghalib (1797–1869) and Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), both of whom wrote ghazals in Persian and Urdu. Through the influence of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), the ghazal became very popular in Germany in the 19th century, and the form was used extensively by Friedrich Rückert (1788–1866) and August von Platen (1796–1835). The Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali was a proponent of the form, both in English and in other languages; he edited a volume of "real ghazals in English".

In some ghazals the poet's name is featured somewhere in the last verse (a convention known as takhallus).

Pronunciation

The Arabic word is pronounced , roughly like the English word guzzle, but with the pronounced without a complete closure between the tongue and the soft palate. In India, the name sounds exotic, as the voiced velar fricative ( sound) is not found in native Indic words. In English, the word is or .

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Details of the form

A ghazal is composed of five or more couplets.

The second line of each couplet (or sher) in a ghazal usually ends with the repetition of a refrain of one or a few words, known as a radif, preceded by a rhyme known as the qaafiyaa. In Arabic, Persian and Turkic the couplet is termed a bayt and the line within the bayt is called a misra. In the first couplet, both lines end in the rhyme and refrain so that the ghazal's rhyme scheme is AA BA CA etc.

There can be no enjambement across the couplets in a strict ghazal; each couplet must be a complete sentence (or several sentences) in itself.

All the couplets, and each line of each couplet, must share the same meter.

Ghazal is simply the name of a form, and is not language-specific. Ghazals exist, for example, in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Kurdish and Pashtu and many other languages.

In South Asian languages ghazals occasionally contain no radif. Such ghazals are termed "ġair-muraddaf" ghazal. The pre-Islamic Arabian qasida was in monorhyme; like the rest of the qasida, the ghazal itself did not have a radif.

Although every sher may be an independent poem in itself, the shers may share the same theme or even display continuity of thought. This is called a musalsal ghazal, or "continuous ghazal". The ghazal "chupke chupke raat din aasUU bahaanaa yaad hai" is a famous example of a musalsal ghazal.

In modern Urdu poetry, there are a few ghazals which do not follow the restriction that the same beher must be used in both the lines of a sher. But even in these ghazals, qaafiyaa and, usually, radif are present.

By placing his or her takhallus (pen name) in the maqta or final sher, the poet traditionally attempted to secure credit for his or her work. Poets often made elegant use of their takhallus in the maqta.

Themes

Illicit unattainable love

The ghazal not only has a specific form, but traditionally deals with just one subject: love, specifically an illicit and unattainable love. The subcontinental ghazals have an influence of Islamic Mysticism and the subject of love can usually be interpreted for a higher being or for a mortal beloved. The love is always viewed as something that will complete a human being, and if attained will lift him or her into the ranks of the wise, or will bring satisfaction to the soul of the poet. Traditional ghazal love may or may not have an explicit element of sexual desire in it, and the love may be spiritual. The love may be directed to either a man or a woman.

The ghazal is always written from the point of view of the unrequited lover whose beloved is portrayed as unattainable. Most often either the beloved does not return the poet's love or returns it without sincerity, or else the societal circumstances do not allow it. The lover is aware and resigned to this fate but continues loving nonetheless; the lyrical impetus of the poem derives from this tension. Representations of the lover's powerlessness to resist his feelings often include lyrically exaggerated violence. The beloved's power to captivate the speaker may be represented in extended metaphors about the "arrows of his eyes", or by referring to the beloved as an assassin or a killer. Take for example the following couplets from Amir Khusro's Persian ghazal Nami danam chi manzil buud shab:

''nemidanam che manzel bood shab jayi ke man boodam; ''be har soo raghse besmel bood shab jayi ke man boodam. ''pari peykar negari sarv ghadi laleh rokhsari; ''sarapa afat-e del bood shab jayi ke man boodam. I wonder what was the place where I was last night, All around me were half-slaughtered victims of love, tossing about in agony. There was a nymph-like beloved with cypress-like form and tulip-like face, Ruthlessly playing havoc with the hearts of the lovers.

In the context of Sufism

It is not possible to get a full understanding of ghazal poetry without at least being familiar with some concepts of Sufism. All the major historical post-Islamic ghazal poets were either avowed Sufis themselves (like Rumi or Hafez), or were sympathizers with Sufi ideas. Most ghazals can be viewed in a spiritual context, with the Beloved being a metaphor for God, or the poet's spiritual master. It is the intense Divine Love of sufism that serves as a model for all the forms of love found in ghazal poetry.

Most ghazal scholars today recognize that some ghazal couplets are exclusively about Divine Love (ishq-e-haqiqi), others are about "earthly love" (ishq-e-majazi), but many of them can be interpreted in either context.

Traditionally invoking melancholy, love, longing, and metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani, and Indian musicians. The form has roots in seventh-century Arabia, and gained prominence in the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century thanks to such Persian poets as Rumi and Hafez. In the eighteenth-century, the ghazal was used by poets writing in Urdu, a mix of the medieval languages of Northern India, including Persian. Among these poets, Ghalib is the recognized master.

Important poets of Urdu ghazal

In Urdu some important and respected ghazal poets are Wali, Aatish, Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Rafi Sauda, Mirza Ghalib, Zauq, Dard, Daagh, and Jigar Moradabadi. Post-partition poets include Firaq Gorakhpuri, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Jaun Elia, Habib Jalib, Munir Niazi, Jan Nisar Akhtar, Shakeb Jalali, Parveen Shakir, Tanwir Phool, Qamar Jalalabadi, Qateel Shifai, Aghar Gondvi, Nasir Kazmi, Ahmed Faraz, Makhdoom Mohiuddin, Sahir Ludhianvi, Nida Fazli, Gulzar, Ali Arman, Vikram Singh,Raees Warsi, Mir Dard, Hasrat Mohani, Momin Khan Momin, Altaf Hussain Hali

Translations and Performance of Classical ghazal

Enormous collections of ghazal have been created by hundreds of well-known poets over the past thousand years in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu, as well as in the Central Asian Turkic languages. Ghazal poems are performed in Uzbek-Tajik Shashmakom, Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam. There are many published translations from Persian and Turkish by Annemarie Schimmel, Arthur John Arberry, and many others.

Ghazal "Gayaki", the art of singing or performing the ghazal in Indian classical tradition, is very old. Singers like Ustad Barkat Ali and many other singers in the past used to practice it, but due to the lack of historical records, many names are anonymous. It was with Begum Akhtar, and later on Ustad Mehdi Hassan, that classical rendering of ghazals became popular amongst the masses. The categorization of ghazal singing as a form of "light classical" music is a misconception. Classical ghazals are difficult to render because of the varying moods of the "shers" or couplets in the ghazal. Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar, Mehdi Hassan, Jagjit Singh, Farida Khanum, and Ustad Ghulam Ali are popular classical ghazal singers.

Ghazal and its popularity

Understanding the complex lyrics of ghazals required education typically available only to the upper classes. The traditional classical rāgas in which the lyrics were rendered were also difficult to understand. The ghazal has undergone some simplification in terms of words and phrasings, which helps it to reach a larger audience around the world. Most of the ghazals are now sung with various styles which are not limited to khayāl, thumri, rāga, tāla and other classical and light classical genres. However, these forms of the ghazal are looked down on by purists of the Indian Classical tradition. In Pakistan Noor Jehan, Iqbal Bano, Farida Khanum, Ghulam Ali, Ahmed Rushdi, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and Mehdi Hassan are known for Ghazal rendetions . Singers like Jagjit Singh (who first used a guitar in ghazals), Ahmed and Mohammed Hussain, Hariharan, Mohammad Rafi, Pankaj Udhas and many others have been able to give a new shape to the ghazal by incorporating elements of Western music. In India, in addition to Urdu/Hindi, Ghazals are also popular in the Gujarati language. For centuries there have been notable Gujarati ghazal writers like Barkat Virani 'Befaam', Aasim Randeri, Shunya Palanpuri,Amrut 'Ghayal', Khalil Dhantejvi and many more. Some of the notable ghazals of these prominent writers have been sung by popular Bollywood Playback Singer of 80's and 90's, Manhar Udhas(who is the elder brother of noted Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas). These have been released under various album titles and are quite popular. The Canadian classical ghazal singer Cassius Khan has the unusual talent of singing in the recitational style whilst accompanying himself on the tabla. Renowned Ghazal singer, Pioneer of Telugu ghazals, Dr Ghazal Srinivas popularized the Ghazal in Telugu language all over the world. Dr Ghazal Srinivas also introduced ghazal singing in Kannada language and ghazals in Kannada language were written by Markandapuram Srinivas

In English

After nearly a century of "false starts" -- that is, early experiments by James Clarence Mangan, James Elroy Flecker, Adrienne Rich, Phyllis Webb., etc., many of which did not adhere wholly or in part to the traditional principles of the form, experiments dubbed as "the bastard ghazal" -- , the ghazal finally began to be recognized as a viable closed form in English-language poetry sometime in the early to mid 1990s. This came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen, as well as by acclaimed Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali (d. 2001), who had been teaching and spreading word of the ghazal at various American universities over the previous two decades. Ali, it is worth noting, had also published by this time a collection (The Rebel's Silhouette) of translations of the legendary Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz (b. 1911, d. 1984), and although the selected poems were presented in English in a free verse style, their romantic and revolutionary-Marxist sociopolitical impact was not entirely lost upon Western readers.

Recognizing the growing interest, in 1996 Ali decided to compile and edit the world's first anthology of English-language ghazals. Finally published by Wesleyan University Press in 2000, Ravishing DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English served as material proof that the ghazal had indeed finally arrived in the English-speaking Western world. (Still fewer than one in ten of the ghazals collected in "Real Ghazals in English" observe the constraints of the form.) Sadly, succumbing to brain cancer in December 2001, Ali did not live long enough to witness the book's full impact and further evolution of the Western ghazal.

A ghazal is composed of couplets, five or more. The couplets may have nothing to do with one another, except for the formal unity derived from a strict rhyme and rhythm pattern.

A ghazal in English which observes the traditional restrictions of the form:

Where are you now? Who lies beneath your spell tonight? Whom else from rapture’s road will you expel tonight? Those “Fabrics of Cashmere--“ ”to make Me beautiful--“ “Trinket”-- to gem– “Me to adorn– How– tell”-- tonight? I beg for haven: Prisons, let open your gates– A refugee from Belief seeks a cell tonight. God’s vintage loneliness has turned to vinegar– All the archangels– their wings frozen– fell tonight. Lord, cried out the idols, Don’t let us be broken Only we can convert the infidel tonight. Mughal ceilings, let your mirrored convexities multiply me at once under your spell tonight. He’s freed some fire from ice in pity for Heaven. He’s left open– for God– the doors of Hell tonight. In the heart’s veined temple, all statues have been smashed No priest in saffron’s left to toll its knell tonight God, limit these punishments, there’s still Judgment Day– I’m a mere sinner, I’m no infidel tonight. Executioners near the woman at the window. Damn you, Elijah, I’ll bless Jezebel tonight. The hunt is over, and I hear the Call to Prayer fade into that of the wounded gazelle tonight. My rivals for your love– you’ve invited them all? This is mere insult, this is no farewell tonight. And I, Shahid, only am escaped to tell thee– God sobs in my arms. Call me Ishmael tonight.

(Agha Shahid Ali)

Ghazals composed in English by notable poets

Agha Shahid Ali, "Ghazal ('...exiles')"

Robert Bly, The Night Abraham Called to the Stars and My Sentence Was a Thousand Years of Joy

Francis Brabazon, In Dust I Sing (Beguine Library, 1974).

Lorna Crozier, "Bones in Their Wings"

Judith Fitzgerald, Twenty-Six Ways Out of This World (Oberon), 1999.

Thomas Hardy, "The Mother Mourns"

Jim Harrison, Outlyer and Ghazals (Touchstone), 1971

John Hollander, "Ghazal On Ghazals"

Galway Kinnell, "Sheffield Ghazal 4: Driving West", "Sheffield Ghazal 5: Passing the Cemetery" (Mariner Books), 2001

Maxine Kumin, "On the Table"

Marilyn Krysl, "Ghazals for the Turn of the Century"

Edward Lowbury, "A Ghazel (for Pauline)" (1968); "Prometheus: a ghazel" (1976); "Remembering Nine (a ghazel for Peter Russell)" (1981)

W. S. Merwin, "The Causeway"

William Matthews, "Guzzle", "Drizzle"

Elise Paschen, "Sam's Ghazal"

Robert Pinsky, "The Hall"

Spencer Reece, Florida Ghazals

Adrienne Rich, Ghazals: Homage to Ghalib

John Thompson, "Stilt Jack" (Anansi), 1978.

Andrew D. Chumbley, "Qutub" (Xoanon), 1995.

Natasha Trethewey, "Miscegenation", 2006.

Phyllis Webb, Water and Light: Ghazals and Anti Ghazals (Coach House), 1984.

John Edgar Wideman, "Lost Letter"

Sukhdarshan Dhaliwal, "Ghazals at Twilight" (SD Publications), 2009

Ghazal singers

Some notable ghazal singers are:

Ahmed Rushdi

Asha Bhosle

Ahmed and Mohammed Hussain

Anup Jalota

Ataullah Khan

Aziz Mian

Begum Akhtar

Chitra Singh

Ghulam Ali

Jagjit Singh

Salma Agha

Yateesh M. Acharya

Kiran Ahluwalia

Mahwash

Ustad Amanat Ali Khan

Najma Akhtar

Talat Aziz

Iqbal Bano

Mohammed Rafi

Mehdi Hassan

Munni Begum

Malika Pukhraj

Hariharan

Cassius Khan

Ghulam Abbas Khan

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Farida Khanum

Runa Laila

Master Madan

Talat Mahmood

Lata Mangeshkar

Penaz Masani

Habib Wali Mohammad

Nayyara Noor

Noorjehan

Shishir Parkhie

Abida Parveen

Anuradha Paudwal

Reshma

Sabri Brothers

Mohammad Hussain Sarahang

Mohammad Reza Shajarian

Bhupinder and Mitali Singh

Jasvinder Singh

Tahira Syed

Manhar Udhas

Pankaj Udhas

Ahmad Wali

( Ghazal Srinivas)

Many Indian and Pakistani film singers are famous for singing ghazals. These include:

Asha Bhosle

Ahmed Rushdi

Chitra Singh

Jagjit Singh

Mehdi Hassan

Talat Mahmood

Hariharan

Mohammad Rafi

Noor Jehan

Lata Mangeshkar

Srilekha Parthasarathy

K. L. Saigal

Ghulam Abbas Khan

Ghulam Ali Khan

Notes

References

Agha Shahid Ali (ed.). Ravishing Disunities: Real Ghazals in English. ISBN 0-8195-6437-0.

Agha Shahid Ali. Call Me Ishmael Tonight: A Book of Ghazals. ISBN 0-393-05195-1.

Bailey, J. O. The Poetry of Thomas Hardy: A handbook and Commentary. ISBN 0-8078-1135-1

Doty, Gene (ed./sitemaster). The Ghazal Page; various postings, 1999—2010.

Faiz, Faiz Ahmed. The Rebel's Silhouette: Selected Poems. Translated by Agha Shahid Ali. University of Massachusetts Press, 1995.

Kanda, K.C., editor. Masterpieces of the Urdu Ghazal: From the 17th to the 20th Century. Sterling Pub Private Ltd., 1991.

Mufti, Aamir. "Towards a Lyric History of India." boundary 2, 31: 2, 2004

Reichhold, Jane (ed.). Lynx; various issues, 1996—2000.

Watkins, R. W. (ed.). Contemporary Ghazals; Nos. 1 and 2, 2003—2004.

External links

Nepali Ghazals

Urdu poetic forms

a ghazalsagar all in one ghazal site

Ghazals Portal - Ghazals online Community

Ghazal & Ghazal Ghazal Blog Forum Website

A Desertful of Roses The Divan-e Ghalib - in Urdu, with Devanagari and Roman transliterations. Also includes a collection of concise commentaries on each verse by well-known scholars, as well as other critical information.

Big collection of classical Urdu ghazals

Urdu Ghazal Reference

The Ghazal Page, an online journal devoted to the ghazal in English.

Ghazalville A ghazal reading series in New York City.

Naeem Ali Ghazal Singer India Shagird Of Ghulam Ali.

www.telugughazal.com, www.ghazalsrinivas.com

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Name	Pankaj Udhas
Caption	Pankaj Udhas at Westin Hotel New Year Bash
Alt	Pankaj Udhas at Westin Hotel New Year Bash
Birth date	May 17, 1951
Birth place	Jetpur, Gujarat, India
Occupation	Ghazal Singer
Website	http://www.pankajudhas.com/

Pankaj Udhas (born 17 May 1951) is a ghazal singer from India. He is credited in the Indian music industry, along with other musicians like Jagjit Singh and Talat Aziz, with bringing the style to the realm of popular music. Udhas rose to fame for singing in the film Naam (1986 film), in which his song Chitthi Aayee Hai became an instant hit. Following that, he has also performed as a playback singer for numerous films. He has recorded many albums since then and tours the world as an accomplished Ghazal singer. In 2006, Pankaj Udhas was awarded the Padmashree.

Early life

Pankaj Udhas was born in Jetpur near Rajkot in Gujarat and is the youngest of three brothers. He hails from Charan nandi community. His father's name is Keshubhai Udhas and mother's name is Jituben Udhas. His eldest brother Manhar Udhas achieved some success as a Hindi playback singer in Bollywood movies. His second elder brother Nirmal Udhas is also a well-known Ghazal Singer and was the first of the three brothers to start singing in the family. He had studied in Sir BPTI Bhavanagar. His family moved to Mumbai and Pankaj attended St. Xavier's College in Mumbai.

Career

Pankaj Udhas' older brother, Manhar, was a stage performer and this aided Pankaj in his introduction to musical performance. His first stage performance was during the Sino-Indian War, when he sang "Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon" and was given Rs. 51 by an audience member as a reward.

Four years later, he joined the Sharabi Natya Academy in Rajkot and learned the nuances of playing the tabla. After that, he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at St. Xavier's College, and started to work in a bar, practicing his singing extracurricularly.

Udhas' first singing role in a film was in the 1972 film Kamna, which was a flop.

Subsequently, Udhas developed an interest in ghazals and learned Urdu to try to pursue a career as a ghazal singer. After finding little success, he moved to Canada and, after spending some time there and in the U.S. performing ghazals at small shows, he returned to India.

His first ghazal album, Aahat, was released in 1980. From this, he began to have success and, as of 2009, he has now released over 40 albums.

In 1986, Udhas received another opportunity to perform in film, in the film Naam, which brought him fame. He continued working as a playback singer, making some on-screen appearances in films such as Saajan, Yeh Dillagi, and Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad Aayee.

Later, Udhas started a talent hunt television program called Aadab Aarz Hai on Sony Entertainment Television

Awards

2006 - Pankaj Udhas Awarded Padmashree for completing his Silver Jubilee in Gazal singing career.

2006 - Awarded the prestigious "Kalakar" award at Kolkotta for "Hasrat" as "Best Ghazal album of 2005".

2004 - Special Felicitation at the Wembley Conference Center, London for Completing 20 Years of Performance at the Prestigious Venue.

2003 - MTV Immies Award for the successful album 'In Search of Meer'.

2003 - Special Achievement Award at the Bollywood Music Award, New York for Popularizing Ghazals Across the Globe.

2003 - Dadabhai Naoroji Millennium Award conferred by the Dadabhai Naoroji International Society for Contribution to Ghazal and the Music Industry.

2002 - Award for Excellence in Music Field presented by Sahyog Foundation at Mumbai.

2002 - Honored by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.

2001 - Vocational Recognition Award for Outstanding Performance as a Ghazal singer presented by Rotary Club of Mumbai Downtown.

1999 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA Award for extraordinary services to Indian music, especially promotion of ghazals in India and abroad. Presented at the Festival of Ghazals held in New York.

1998 - Indian Arts Awards Gala presented by the Mayor of the City of Jersey City.

1998 - Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award presented by the American Academy of Artists at Atlantic City.

1996 - Indira Gandhi Priyadarshani Award for Outstanding Services, Achievement and Contribution to Music.

1994 - Honorary Citizenship of Lubbock Texas, USA.

1994 - Radio Lotus Award for Outstanding Achievement and for the many songs featuring on the official hit parade of the radio. Presented by Radio Lotus, South Africa at the University of Durban.

1993 - Giants International Award for extraordinary efforts to achieve the highest standards in the field of music thereby motivating the entire community to pursue excellence.

1990 - Outstanding Young Persons' Award (1989-90) for positive leadership and distinguish services rendered to the nation. Presented by the Indian Junior Chambers.

1985 - K L Saigal Award for being the Best Ghazal Singer of the Year.

Albums by Pankaj Udhas

Aahat (1980)

Mukarrar

Tarrannum

Nabeel

Nayaab

Shagufta

Aman

Mehfil

Rajuat (Gujarati)

Baisakhi (Punjabi)

Geetnuma

Yaad

Stolen Moments

Kabhi Ansoo Kabhi Khushboo Kabhi Naghuma

Humnasheen

Aafreen

Woh Ladki Yaad Aati Hai

Rubaayee

Mahek

Ghoonghat

Muskaan

In Search of Meer (2003)

Hasrat

Bhalobasha (Bengali)

Endless Love

Yaara - Music by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

Shabad - Music by Vaibhav Saxena and Gunjan Jha

Shaayar (2010)

References

Shabad-

External links

Lyrics are available at - http://pankajudhas.blogspot.com

Official site

Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Ghazal singers Category:Indian ghazal singers Category:People from Rajkot Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri

Name	Sudeep
Birth date	September 02, 1973
Birth place	Shimoga, Karnataka, India
Othername	Kichha
Occupation	Actor, Producer, Director

Sudeep () is an Indian actor, director, producer and singer from Shimoga, Karnataka, known in the Kannada film industry and Bollywood. He is also founder owner of his production company Kiccha Creations.

He was a student of mechanical engineering from Dayananda sagar college of engineering.university cricket player, He is married and has a daughter called Saanvi, which means goddess Lakshmi.

He is known for his roles in the Kannada films My Autograph, Huccha, Mussanje Maatu, Sparsha, and Just Math Mathalli. He has won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in Kannada for three consecutive years and also won Karnataka State Award.

Film career

Actor

His first movie was Thayavva (his first two films O Kusuma Bale and Brahma were abandoned mid-filming); he then played a supporting role in the Sunil Kumar Desai-directed movie Prathyartha and landed leading actor role in the same director's Sparsha. In 2003, Sudeep acted in the hit film Huccha, which gave him his first big following. Recently he made his debut in Bollywood with the movie Phoonk. He has also starred in Ram Gopal Varma's movies Rann, Phoonk 2 and Rakta Charitra. He is also acting in a Telugu movie Ega directed by S.S. Rajamouli.

In 2009, he gave his voice to an HIV/AIDS education animated software tutorial created by the nonprofit organization TeachAIDS.

Director

He has also produced and directed kannada movies under his company "Kicha Creations". His directorial debut My Autograph was a huge success in Kannada industry. He directed few more movies like #73 Shanti Nivas and Veera Madakari which were not so successful. His recent directorial Kannada film Just Math Mathalli was released in Feb 2010 and received positive reviews but it was an average grosser. The movie was critically acclaimed for its new style of film making.

Television

He is making his debut in television in the reality show 'Pyate Hudgeer-Halli Lifu' in Suvarna channel, where he will play the roles of Main Anchor, Judge and Guide. The show will see how well city girls can adapt to a village life. Ten city-bred girls will be taken to a village to test their survival skills in a rural set-up.They will be given various tasks and Sudeep will be mentoring these girls during this process.

Filmography

{| border="80" cellpadding="4" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" !Year !! Film !! Language !! Director !! Role !! Remarks |- | || Thayava || Kannada || || |- | || Prathyartha || Kannada || Sunilkumar Desai |- | || Sparsha || Kannada || Sunilkumar Desai |- | || Huchha || Kannada || N.Omprakash || Sachidananda |- | || Ranga SSLC || Kannada || Yogaraj Bhat || Ranga |- | || Vaali || Kannada || S.Mahendar |- | || Swathi Muthu || Kannada || D.Rajendrababu || Shivayya |- | || Chandu || Kannada || V.Arunprasad || Chandrashekhar |- |2004 || Nandi || Kannada || D.Rajendrababu |- |2004|| Nalla || Kannada || V.Nagenra prasad || Prashanth |- |2006|| My Autograph || Kannada || Sudeep || Shankar |- |2007 || ''73 Shanthi Nivas || Kannada || Sudeep |- |2007|| Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige || Kannada || Nagathihalli Chandrashekar |- |2008|| Gooli || Kannada || P.Satya || Gooli |- |2008|| Mast Maja Madi || Kannada || || Prathap |- |2003 || Chandu || Kannada || V.Arunprasad || Chandu |- |2003|| Dum || Kannada || M.S.Ramesh || Varada |- |2004 || Partha || Kannada || N.Omprakash film || Partha |- |2006 || Hubbali || Kannada || N.Omprakash film || Ajay Kumar Sirnayak |- |2005 || Maharaja || Kannada || Om Sai Prakash |- |2005|| Kashi from the Village || Kannada || Om Sai prakash || Kaashi |- |2004 || Sye || Kannada || V.Arunprasad |- |2005 || Nammanna || Kannada || N.Shankar |- |2005|| Kichcha || Kannada || || Krishna Mohan |- |2005|| Thirupathi || Kannada || Shivamani || Thirupathi |- |2008|| '' Phoonk || Hindi || Ramgopal Varma || Milind Gadagkar || Bollywood debut |- |2008 || ''Mussanje Maatu || Kannada || Mahesh || Pradeep |- |2009 || Veera Madakari || Kannada || Sudeep || Veera Madakari |- |2008|| ''Kaamannana Makalu || Kannada || Gurudutt || Krishna |- |2010 ||'' Just Math Mathalli || Kannada || Sudeep || Sidharth |- |2010 ||'' Mr.Theertha || Kannada || Kokila Sadu || Theertha |- |2010 ||'' Kichha Huchha || Kannada || Gurudutt || Krishna Murthy |- |2010 ||'' Veera Parampare || Kannada || S.Narayan [teja] |- |2010 ||'' Kanvarlal || Kannada || Sudeep |- |2010 || Rann (film) || Hindi || Ramgopal Varma || Jai Malik |- |2010 || Phoonk 2 || Hindi || Milind Gadagkar |- |2010 || Rakta Charitra || HindiTeluguTamil || Ramgopal Varma |- |2010 || Kempegowda || Kannada || Sudeep |- |2010 || Vishnuvardhana || Kannada || Dwarkish |- |2010 || Eega || Telugu || Rajmouli | |} 2011 Awaham Hindi Milind Gadagkar

Awards

Partial List {| border="2" cellpadding="4" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" !Year !! Award !! Category !! Film !! Notes |- |2001 || Filmfare Award || Best Actor || Huccha || |- |2002 || Filmfare Award || Best Actor || Nandi |- |2002–2003 || Karnataka State Award || Best Actor || Nandi |- |2003 || Filmfare Award || Best Actor || Swathi Mutthu |- |2009 || Suvarna Award || Popular Actor || |}

External links

http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/kannada/gallery/Actor/4488.html

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/amitabhs-eyes-said-it-all-kannada-actor-sudeep_100196401.html

http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/09/apr/08-sudeep-in-ram-gopal-vermas-rann-040915.asp#

http://www.cinecurry.com/celebzone/hindi/sudeep

http://www.realbollywood.com/news/2008/04/kannada-star-sudeep-to-star-in-rgv-film.html

Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film directors Category:Living people Category:People from Shimoga Category:1973 births Category:Hindi film actors Category:Kannada film actors

Name	Ustad Mehdi Hassan
Background	solo_singer
Alias	Khan Sahib'King of Ghazal' (}}

) | Born = Luna, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, India | Died = | Instrument = Harmonium | Genre = Classical music, Ghazal, Playback singing | Occupation = Singer, Composer | Years_active = 1957–1999 (Retired) | URL = }} Mehdi Hassan, TI, PP, HI (}}) is a Pakistani ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood. He is famously known as the 'King of Ghazal' (}}). He has ruled the Pakistan film industry along with Ahmed Rushdi.

Career

Mehdi Hassan was born in 1927 in a village called Luna in Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians. He claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians. Mehdi Hassan had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional Dhrupad singers. The life story of Mehdi Hassan is a journey of trials and tribulations. After partition the family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships.

To make ends meet Mehdi started working in a bicycle shop and later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the hardships, his passion for music didn’t wither and he kept up the routine of practice on a daily basis.

The struggle ended when Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan in 1957, primarily as a thumri singer, which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. At the time, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar and Mukhtar Begum were considered the stalwarts of ghazal gayaki.

He also had a passion for Urdu poetry and began to experiment by singing ghazals on a part-time basis. He cites radio officers Z.A. Bukhari and Rafiq Anwar as additional influences in his progression as a ghazal singer.

Later career

Following a severe illness in the late 80s, Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing. Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music. He now lives a secluded life in Karachi which he has made his permanent residence. Nevertheless, he often visits Lahore where he spends most of his time with his children and other family members.

Awards

He has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions: the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz granted to him by Gen Ayub Khan; the Pride of Performance bestowed on him by Gen Ziaul Haq; and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz conferred by Gen Pervez Musharraf. Besides the Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan, he was presented the Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in 1979, whereas the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award was given to him in Nepal in 1983. Recently, he travelled to Dubai to receive yet another award.

Personal life

Mehdi Hassan is married and has fourteen children, nine of whom are boys and five of whom are girls. Like him, most of his children are also interested in the field of music. Born on 18 July 1927 (PTV celebrated his birthday on 18 July 2010 in Sunday Lounge).

Discography

Kehna Usey

Nazrana

Live at Royal Albert Hall

Andaz-e- Mastana

Classical Ghazals vol. 1, 2, 3

Dil Jo Rota Hai

Ghalib Ghazals

Ghazals For Ever Vol 1

Golden Collection Of Mehdi Hasan Vol 1, 2

Golden Greats

In Concert

Khuli Jo Aankh

Life Story

Live at Khambays

Live Concert in India

Mehdi Hassan

Mehdi Hassan Ghazals Vol 1

Sada E Ishq

Sarhadein

Sur Ki Koi Seema Nahin

The Finest Ghazals

The Legend

Yaadgar Ghazalen Vol 1

Ghazals

Aage barhe na qissa -e -ishq -e- butaan se hum

Aaj Tak Yaad Hai Woh Piar Ka Manzar

Aankhon Se Mili Aankhen

Aap Ki Aankhon Ne

Aaye Kuchh Abr Kuchh Sharaab Aaye

Ab Ke Hum Bichde To Shaayad Kabhi Khwaabon Mein Mile

Ae Raushnion Ke Shahr

Aik Bus Tu Hi Nahin

Apnon Ne Gham Diye To Yaad Aa Gaya

Bhuuli bisri chand umeedein

Chalte ho to chaman ko chaliye

Charaag-e-toor Jalao Bada Andhera Hai

Dekh to dil keh jaan se uthta hai

Dil-E-Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai ( Lyrics: Mirza Ghalib )

Dil Ki Baat Labon Par Laakar

Dil Men Toofan Chupae Betha Hon

Duniya Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein Jaanat Se Kam Nahin

Dayam Pada Hua Tere Dar Pe Nahi Hoon Main

Ek Bar Chale Aao

Ek Sitam Aur Meri Jaan, Abhi Jaan Baqi Hai

Fikr Hii Thaharii To Dil Ko Fikr-E-Khubaa.N Kyo.N Na Ho

Ga Mere Dewane Dil

Garmii-E-Hasarat-E-Naakaam Se Jal Jaate Hai.N

Gulo.N Me.N Rang Bhare, Baad-E-Naubahaar Chale

Gulshan gulshan shola e gul ki

Guncha-e-Shauq Laga hei Khilne

Hamari Sanson Men Aaj Tak

Har Dard Ko

Hum mei koi ghum nahi tha ghum-e-aashiqi sai pahlay

Ik Husn Ki Dewi Se Mujhe Pyaar Hua Thaa

Jab Bhi Aati Hei Teri Yaad Kabhi Shaam ke Baad

Jab Bhi Chahen Ek Nai Sorat

Jab Bhi Pee Kar

Jab Koi Piar Se Bulaae Ga

Jab Us zulf Ki Baat Chali

Jahan Jake Chain

Kahan Gai Woh Wafa

Khuli Jo Aankh Woh Tha

Kiya Hei Pyaar Jisse Humne Zindagi ki Tarah

Kya Bhala Mujhko Parakhne Ka Nateeja Nikla

Kyoon Humse Khafa Ho Gaye Ae Jaan-E-Tamanna

Main Hosh Mein Tha

Main Khyala hu kisi aur ka

Mohabat Karne Wale

Mohabat Zindagi Hai Aur Tum Meri Mohabat Ho

Mujhe Tum Nazar Se Gira To Rahe Ho

Naavak andaz jidhar diida-e-jaana honge

Patta Patta Boota Boota

Phuul hi phuul khil utthe

Pyaar Bhare Do Sharmile Nain

Rafta Rafta Wo Meri Hasti Ka Saamaan Ho Gaye

Ranjish Hi Sahi Dil Hi Dukhaane Ke Liye Aa

Rim Jhim Ki Barsaat Hai Aur Jaage Huye Jazbaat Hain

Roshan Jamal-e-yaar Se Hain

Saamne Aa Ke Tujhko Pukara Nahin

Sahar Ho Rahi Hai

Shikwa Na Kar Gila Na Kar Ye Duniya Hai Pyaare

Shola Tha Jal Bujha Hoon

Tanha Thi Aur Hamesha Se Tanha Hai Zindagi

Tark-e-Ulfat Ka Sila

Tere Bheege Badan Ki Khooshboo Se

Tere Mere Piar Ka Aisa Nata Hai

Toote Hue Khwabon Ke Liye

Thah ar Thorri Der To

Tu Meri Zindagi Hei (Copied by Nadeem Sharavan in "Ashiqi" Hindi Movie India)

Usne Jab Meri Taraf

Uzr Aane Mein Bhi Hei Aur Bulaate bhi nahin

Wo Dil Nawaaj Hei Lekin Nazar Shinaas Nahin

Yaaro Kisii Qaatil Se Kabhii Pyaar Na Maa.Ngo

Ye Dhooan Kahan Se Uthta Hei

Ye Kaghzi Phool Jaise Chahre

Ye Mojazaa Bhii Muhabbat Kabhii Dikhaaye Mujhe

Ye Tera Naazuk Badan Hai Ya Koi Mehka Gulaab

Yoon Zindagi Ki Raah Mein Takra Gaya Koi

Zindagi Mein To Sabhi Pyaar Kiya Karte Hain

Zulf Ko Teri Ghataon Ka Payam Aaya Hai

Mehadi Hassan also sung Persian/dari Ghazals In Kabul Afghnistn in 1970s.

See also

Noor Jehan

Ghulam Ali

Iqbal Bano

Farida Khanum

Alam Lohar

References

Mehdi Hassan Video Collection

Lyrics and Translations of Mehdi Hassan Songs

Songs and Albums by Mehdi Hassan

Mehdi Hasan Songs

Mehdi Hassan

Shahanshah-e-Ghazal

Mehdi Hassan & the complete list of his film songs

Mehdi Hassan Biography on Sadarang Archives

Indian Express

External links

Category:1927 births Category:Living people Category:Ghazal singers Category:Hilal-i-Imtiaz Category:Muhajir people Category:Nigar Award winners Category:Pakistani ghazal singers Category:Pakistani Muslims Category:Pakistani Shi'a Muslims Category:Pakistani singers Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance award Category:People from Jhunjhunu district

, 1860]] Kapoor or Kapur and sometimes but rarely Capoor (Punjabi: ਕਪੂਰ‌, Hindi: कपूर‌) is the name of a clan belonging to the Khatri (Kshatriya or warrior) caste. They are part of the "Dhai Ghar", meaning two and a half houses. Kapurs, Malhotra (also called Mehras or Mehrotras), Khanna and Seth (also called Kakkar) marry their children with each other. Kapoor can not marry a Kapoor but can only marry Malhotra, Khanna or Seth. This leaves three "Ghars" to marry out of which they are not supposed to marry any of their mother's side relatives with mother's paternal last name (it could be Khanna, Malhotra or Seth). Which makes it "Dhai Ghar Marriage that is why the word "Dhai Ghar". The clan hails originally from the Punjab region of the subcontinent of India. Prominent families bearing this name include:

The Maharajas of Burdwan in Bengal, detailed below.

The Kapoor family of Amritsar (Punjab) with generations involved in the Indian Freedom struggle led by Sh. Tilak Raj Kapoor a leading RSS activist who supported the migration of Hindu & Sikh families from Pakistan during 1947 by organising several relief camps in and around Amritsar.

The Kapoor family of Bollywood, five generations of theatre and cinema personalities;

Rai Bahadur Jankidas Kapur, who founded Atlas Cycles Ltd. in 1950 at Sonepat in present-day Haryana;

Dr. Brij Mohan Kapoor, Professor Emeritus of Botany at St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Kapoor published over 200 papers and discovered a number of plant species.

In addition, many notable contributors to modern Indian society belong to the Kapoor clan (see below).

Kapoor Khatris claim Caucasian Avar and Chuvash ancestry.

The Maharajas of Burdwan

The Zamindars of Burdwan in Bengal belong to the Kapoor clan, and held the title of Maharajah. Maharajah Bahadur Tedj Chand Ray adopted Chinilal Kapur. His descendants continued as the Maharajas of Burdwan. The family continued as rulers of Burdwan until zamindari was abolished by the government of India in 1955/56. While called maharajahs they were in no sense rulers or aristocrats but wealthy Banias who had purchased the right to collect rent in the District of Burdwan from the British during the Permanent Settlement of Bengal. The area remaining however under direct administration of the British via the Indian Civil Service officers on the Bengal State. They also were never members of the Chamber or Council of Princes such as the Maharaja of Patiala or Kapurtala. Thus the title Maharaja was only honorific as was the case in much of India. During the three centuries that they held the estate of Burdwan, the Kapoor family extended their patronage to various scholars and artists, including:

Paramahansa Yogananda, swami and philosopher

Sadhak Kamalakanta, Bengali poet and singer

Gopeswar Banerjee, noted musician of Vishnupur

Dasharathi Roy, poet and composer of Panchali

Padmalochan, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

Several famous buildings and tanks in Burdwan were built by the Maharajas of Burdwan, including the Sarbamangala temple, the Baikunthanath Siva temple, the Shyam sagar tank, the Ranisagar tank, the Bijoy Toran and the Rajbadi (palace). In 1882, the Burdwan Raj College was started in Burdwan, which was supported entirely by the estates of the Kapoor dynasty.

Rabindranath Tagore in his "The Hungry Stones And Other Stories" writes: "the Chhota Lord had been heard to say that in all Bengal, the only really respectable families were those of the Maharaja of Burdwan and the Babus of Nayanjore."

Kapoor family of Bollywood

Prithviraj Kapoor (1906–1972), a noted pioneer of Indian theater and of the Hindi film industry, belonged to the Kapoor clan. He was born at Samundri near the town of Lyallpur in Pakistani Punjab. He moved to Bombay, India in 1928 and ended up founding a dynasty of movie stars and film-makers. In 1944, he started the Prithvi Theatre, a travelling theatre troupe.

In his personal life, he remained a traditional Khatri, with the women of his household remaining away from the glitter and decadence of the movie industry. That changed when his grandson Randhir Kapoor married a movie star Babita in 1971.

Prithviraj Kapoor's family mansion in Peshawar, Pakistan still stands, now in the possession of some Bangladeshis.

Prithviraj was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema posthumously. His son, Shashi Kapoor, along with his wife, Jennifer Kapoor, has revived Prithvi Theatre in his honour.

Other prominent Kapoors

Prominent people bearing the name "Kapoor" include:

JUDICIARY

JUSTICE Jeevan Lal Kapur, FORMER,SUPREME COURT JUDGE

Politics & Social Activist

Sh. Tilak Raj Kapoor (Amritsar), Social Activist & Freedom Fighter

Arts and films

Mukesh Kapoor, Photographer

Shammi Kapoor, Bollywood actor

Raj Kapoor, Bollywood actor, producer and director

Shashi Kapoor, Bollywood actor, director and producer

Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood actor

Anish Kapoor, sculptor

Sanjeev Kapoor, gourmet chef

Ravi Kapoor, British actor

Steven Kapur, also known as "Apache Indian", a pop singer

Neha Kapur, Beauty queen

Shekhar Kapur, film-maker

Jeetendra, whose real name is "Ravi Kapoor"

Ekta Kapoor Producer for television and movies (Bollywood)

Tusshar Kapoor, Bollywood actor

Pankaj Kapur, Bollywood actor, film-maker

Ranbir Kapoor, Bollywood actor, son of Rishi Kapoor

Shahid Kapoor, Bollywood actor, son of Pankaj Kapur

Ishaan Kapoor, actor

Surinder Kapoor

Anil Kapoor, Bollywood actor, film producer

Sanjay Kapoor, Bollywood actor

Boney Kapoor Film Director and producer

Shakti Kapoor, actor

Anurag kapoor,model

Sanjana Kapoor

Pooja Kapoor

Karisma Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor, Bollywood Actress

Raksha Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor, Bollywood Actress

Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood Actor

Pankaj Kapoor, Bollywood Actor

Anu Kapoor, Bollywood Actor

Gita Kapoor, Bollywood dancer

Sanjana Kapoor, Bollywood Actor

Ranjin Singh, whose real name is "Dave Kapoor" (Writer, actor)

Usha Khanna, Bollywood Music Director

Ram Kapoor, Tv actor

Namitha Kapoor, South Indian movie actress

Literature

Narinder Singh Kapoor

anurag s kapoor

Science and medicine

Dr. Anil Kapoor, Associate Professor of Surgery (Urology), McMaster University; Program Director, McMaster Urology Residency Program; Director, Urologic Research Group, McMaster Institute of Urology; Chair, GU Oncology Program, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Dr. Brij Mohan Kapoor, Professor Emeritus of Botany at St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Kapoor published over 200 papers and discovered a number of plant species.

Dr. Sunil Kapoor, Chief of Anesthesiology at Toronto East General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Vimal Scott Kapoor, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Emergency Physician, Aerospace Physician and Actor, Featured in "Untold Stories of the ER"

Dr. Yash Pal Kapur (1927–2009) Professor Emeritus and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Michigan State University, with a specialty in otolaryngology and hearing impairment , and a special interest in loss of hearing in juveniles; advisor to the World Health Organisation and president of Hearing International .

References

External links

Genealogy of Maharajas of Burdwan

Encyclopaedia Britannica entry on Burdwan

History of Burdwan

Next weekend you can be at ... Burdwan

Vijay Manzil, the estate of the maharaja of Burdwan

Peshawarites still remember the Kapoor family

Prithviraj, My father by Shamsherraj (Shammi) Kapoor

Prithviraj Kapoor

See also

Caste

Hinduism in Punjab

Khatri

Punjabi people

Category:Social groups of India Category:Indian people Category:Indian family names Category:Surnames Category:Khatri clans Category:Punjabi tribes

Name	Jagjit Singh
Background	solo_singer
Born	February 08, 1941Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India
Genre	Ghazal, Classical, Devotional, Folk
Occupation	Composer, Singer, Music Director, Activist, Entrepreneur
Instrument	Vocals, Harmonium, Tanpura, Piano
Years active	1966–present
Label	EMI, HMV, Saregama, Universal Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Polydor, TIPS, Venus, T-Series
Spouse	Chitra Singh
Url	www.jagjitsingh.co.uk

Jagjit Singh (, , ) (born February 8, 1941) is a prominent Indian Ghazal singer, composer, music director, activist and entrepreneur. Popularly known as "The Ghazal King" he gained acclaim together with his wife, another renowned Indian Ghazal singer Chitra Singh, in 1970's and 80's, as the first ever successful duo (husband-wife) act in the history of recorded Indian music. Together, they are considered to be the pioneers of modern Ghazal singing and regarded as most successful recording artistes outside the realm of Indian film music. He has sung in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, Sindhi and Nepali languages. He was awarded India's third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 2003.

Widely credited for the revival and popularity of Ghazal, an Indian classical art form, through his music in landmark films such as Prem Geet (1981), Arth and Saath Saath (1982), and TV serials Mirza Ghalib (1988) and Kahkashan (1991), Jagjit Singh is considered to be the most successful ghazal singer and composer of all time, in terms of both critical acclaim and commercial success. With a career spanning over four decades and a repertoire comprising 50 albums the range and breadth of his work has been regarded as genre-defining. He is the only composer and singer to have composed and recorded songs written by an incumbent Prime Minister - Atal Behari Vajpayee, also a critically acclaimed poet - in two albums, Nayi Disha (1999) and Samvedna (2002). India's current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur are known to be his avid admirers.

On May 10, 2007, in a milestone joint session held in the historic Central Hall of India's Parliament (Sansad Bhawan), Jagjit Singh rendered the last Moghul Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar's famous ghazal "Lagta nahin hai dil mera" to commemorate the 150th anniversary of India's First War of Independence (1857). President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and dignitaries including former Prime Ministers, Members of Parliament, Foreign Ambassadors and High Commissioners were in attendance.

Jagjit Singh is the first Indian composer, and together with his wife Chitra Singh the first recording artist in the history of Indian music to use digital multi-track recording for their (India's first digitally recorded) album, Beyond Time (1987). He is regarded as one of India's most influential artistes. Together with sitar legend Ravi Shankar and other leading figures of Indian classical music and literature, Singh has voiced his concerns over politicisation of arts and culture in India and lack of support experienced by the practitioners of India's traditional art forms, particularly folk artists and musicians. He has lent active support to several philanthropic endeavors such as the library at St. Mary's School, Mumbai, Bombay Hospital, CRY, Save the Children and ALMA.

Early years and background

Jagjit Singh was born in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan to Amar Singh Dhiman, a government employee, a native of Dalla village in Punjab (India) and his mother, Bachan Kaur from Ottallan village, Samrala. He had four sisters and two brothers and he is known as Jeet by his family. He was raised as a Sikh by religion.

He went to Khalsa High School in Sri Ganganagar and then studied science after matriculation at Government College, Sri Ganganagar and went onto graduate in Arts at DAV College, Jalandhar. He is a post-graduate in history from Kurukshetra University in Haryana.

Jagjit Singh's association with music goes back to his childhood. He learnt music under Pandit Chaganlal Sharma for two years in Ganganagar, and later devoted six years to learning Khayal, Thumri and Dhrupad forms of Indian Classical Music from Ustad Jamaal Khan of the Sainia Gharana school.

Career

Early career

The Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University and Kurukshetra University, Late Professor Suraj Bhan encouraged his interest in music. He arrived in Mumbai in 1965 in search of better opportunities for being a musician and singer. His early struggle in the music industry, though not too harsh by his own account, still had its share of trials and tribulations. He lived as a paying guest and his earlier assignments were singing advertisement jingles or performing at weddings and parties.

First Entry Into Movies

Jagjit Singh was first offered to sing in a Gujarati Film. "Dharati Na Chhoru" produced by Mr. Suresh Amin, famously known by Jagjit Singh as "Jholi Vaaley Baba" : known so, because he carried a Red Shoulder Bag wherever he went. Mr Suresh Amin was from Baroda-Gujarat and was associated with Scad Consultants Pvt Ltd. When, Mr Suresh Amin died in 1998 and Scad Consultants, Baroda, Organized a Live Concert by Jagjit singh in December 1998 - Jagjit Singh [Famously Called by friends as Maharaj] paid a special Tribute to Mr Suresh Amin and dedicated the Scad Consultants Concert to Mr Suresh Amin by Singing the song " Chitthi Na Koi Sandesh ", the perfect song to match his unawareness of Suresh Amin's Death.

Rise to fame

During 1970s, the art of ghazal singing was dominated by well-established names like Noor Jehan, Malika Pukhraj, Begum Akhtar, Talat Mahmood and Mehdi Hassan. However, he was able to make his mark and carve out a niche for himself. In 1976, his album The Unforgettables (On HMV LP Records) hit music stores. Essentially a ghazal album, its emphasis on melody and Jagjit's fresh voice was a departure from the prevalent style of ghazal rendition, which was heavily based on classical and semi-classical Indian music. Skeptics had their own reservations, purists scorned it but it was widely successful among listeners and the album set new sales records.

In 1967, Jagjit met Chitra, also a singer. After a two year courtship they got married (1969). They epitomize the first successful husband-wife singing team. Jagjit and Chitra Singh have made immense contributions to 'Ghazal' music and the Indian music industry in general.

Successful releases of the duo include Ecstasies, A Sound Affair and Passions. While these albums were breezy, Beyond Time released in the opening years of 1990s was an experimentation with sounds and conveyed a feeling that was beyond space and time.

Around this time the duo was struck by grief, when their only son, Vivek (21), met an untimely death in a road accident on 28 July 1990. Their subsequent album 'Someone Somewhere' was the last album with ghazals sung by both. The album is a tour of the soul, ethereal, conscientious and introspective. These ghazals have a moving quality to them since they embody a feeling of deep personal loss. After that Chitra Singh quit singing.

Jagjit Singh's later albums, including Hope, In Search, Insight, Mirage, Visions, Kahkashan (meaning "Galaxy"), Love Is Blind, Chirag (meaning "Lamp"/"Flame") also achieved success. Sajda (an Urdu word meaning "prostration"), which has ghazals sung by Jagjit and Lata Mangeshkar was another brilliant release and made its mark as a classic Ghazal album. The combined successes of his many albums made him the number one ghazal singer in India. The audience wanted more and Jagjit Singh obliged with his Punjabi albums. Ebullient, effervescent and bubbly, his Punjabi songs are pleasant as well as joyous. His enchanting ghazals use the choicest poetry by renowned poets including Mirza Ghalib, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Qateel Shifai, Shahid Kabir, Ameer Meenai, Kafeel Aazer, Sudarshan Faakir and Nida Fazli, and contemporary writers like Zaka Siddiqi, Nazir Bakri, Faiz Ratlami and Rajesh Reddy.

Jagjit also sang (as playback singer) for various songs in Bollywood films including Arth, Saath Saath, and Premgeet (all from 1980s). These scores remain popular even today. In fact, all the songs of film Premgeet were composed by Jagjit. His compositions for the TV serial Mirza Ghalib (based on the life of the poet Mirza Ghalib), remain extremely popular among ghazal aficionados. The exclusive element of Ghalib's poetry was sensitively and wonderfully brought out in the soulful compositions of Ghalib's ghazals by Jagjit Singh. The album could veritably be called a magnum opus.

Compared to his earlier ghazals (sung during 70s and 80s) his later ghazals have acquired a more soulful and poignant demeanour, as in albums such as Marasim, Face To Face, Aaeena, Cry For Cry. But all through this, romance never took a backseat! The journey to the soul is punctuated by romantic pauses like Dil Kahin Hosh Kahin. A testimony to his popularity is his ghazals in recent Bollywood flicks like Dushman, Sarfarosh, Tum Bin and Tarkeeb.

Most of the earlier albums of Jagjit Singh had English titles. Later, these had Urdu names like Sahar (meaning "Dawn"/"Morning"), Muntazir (meaning "In waiting"), Marasim (meaning "Relation"/"Relationship"/"Affinity" ), and "Soz" (meaning Pathos). The switchover may not be deliberate but marks a milestone in his singing. These new albums show a far better selection of lyrics and his singing has scaled new peaks.

Besides ghazals, Jagjit Singh has also sung Bhajans and Gurbani (Hindu and Sikh devotional hymns respectively). Albums such as Maa, Hare Krishna, Hey Ram...Hey Ram, Ichhabal and also Man Jeetai Jagjeet in Punjabi, put him in the league of Bhajan singers such as Mukesh, Hari Om Sharan, Yesudas, Anup Jalota and Purushottam Das Jalota. The soothing effect that Jagjit's voice has on frayed nerves has prompted psychiatrists in metros (as large cities in India are called) to prescribe them as stress relievers.

Influence

Jagjit Singh is accredited with bringing the ghazal genre, which was previously restricted to the elite classes, to the masses. His music direction can be seen to be pioneering in changing the sound layout by adding more Western instruments while mostly retaining the traditional orchestra (which includes a tablaa, dholak, bongos, sitar, sarod, santoor, flute, and harmonium, and a couple of string instruments]. Jagjit Singh is also nicknamed Ghazaljeet Singh.

Jagjit Singh is accredited with finding the number one singer of modern times Kumar sanu. Sanu himself confessed that Jagjit singh offered him the first chance to sing.

Jagjit Singh voiced his opinion against artists from Pakistan being allowed to sing in India, when Pakistan refuses to reciprocate the gesture.

In addition to cultivating his own successful career, Jagjit Singh has been involved in guiding many new, talented singers such as Abhijeet, Talat Aziz, Ghanshyam Vaswani, Ashok Khosla, Siza Roy, Vikram Singh, and Vinod Sehgal. He also lends active support to several philanthropic endeavors such as the Library at St. Mary's (Mumbai), Bombay Hospital, CRY, and ALMA (an organization that adopts under-privileged students for further education and development).

Personal life

Jagjit Singh married the popular singer Chitra Singh in 1969. They live in Vivek Singh Lane (a road dedicated to their son) on Breach Candy in Mumbai. Their only son, Vivek, died in a road accident in the early 1990s.

In January 1998, Jagjit Singh had his First Cardiac Insufficiency (heart attack) which led him to quit smoking. In October 2007, he was hospitalized following blood circulation problems.

Music career

Ghazals

There are many successful ghazals composed by Jagjit Singh. Some of them are listed below:-

Yaarian Rab Kar Ke (Sang for Shiv K. Batalvi)

Umr Jalwon mein basar ho

Der lagi aane mein tumko

Apni aankho ke samundar mein utar jaane de

Koi paas aayaa sawere-sawere

Apne hothon par sajaana chaahta hoon

Meri zindagi kisi aur ki, mere naam ka koi aur hai

Apne haathon kee lakeeron mein

Sadma to hai mujhe bhi ke tujhse juda hoon main

Aadmi aadmi ko kya degaa

Haath chhooten bhi to

Garaj baras pyaasi dharthi par phir paani de maula

Apni marzi se kahan apne safar ke hum hain

Ik barahman ne kaha hai

Main na hindu na musalmaan mujhe jeene do

Kaise kaise haadse sehte rahe

Wo jo hum mein tumme qaraar tha

Patta-patta boota-boota haal hamaara jaane hai

Chak jigar ke see lete hain

Main bhool jaaoon tumhe, ab yahi munaasib hai

Jaate jaate wo mujhe achchhi nishaani de gaya

Shaam se aankh mein namin si hai

Tere baare mein jab socha nahin thaa

Tere aane ki jab khabar mehke

Tamanna fir machal jaaye agar tum milne aa jaao

Ab main ration ki kataron mein nazar aata hoon

Tujhse milne ki saza denge tere shehar ke log

Patthar ke khuda, patthar ke sanam

Huzoor aapka bhi ahtraam karta chaloon

Din aa gaye sabaab ke aanchal sambhaaliye

Gulshan ki faqat phoolon se nahin kaaton se bhi zeenat hoti hai

Baat saaqi ki na taali jaayegi

Chupke chupke raat din aansoon bahana yaad hai

Roshan jamal-e-yaar se hai anjuman tamaam

Tera chehra kitna suhaana lagta hai

Tum nahin, gham nahin sharaab nahin

Sarakti jaaye hain rukh se naqaab aahistaa-aahista

Ae khuda ret ke sehra ko samandar kar de

Yeh daulat bhi le lo, yeh shohrat bhi le lo

Hoshwalo ko khabar

Honthon se chhoo lo tum

Koi yeh kaise bataye

Tere khat

Bahut khoobsurat hai

Kiska Chehera

Kal chodvi ki raat thi

Baat niklegi to

Der laagi ane mein tumko

Main nashe mein hoon

Pyar mujhse jo kiya tumne

Tera chehera hai aaeene jaisa

Chitthi na koi sandesh

Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho

Jab se kareeb ho kay chale zindagi se hum

Koi fariyaad

Kahin duur jab din

Kehta hai baabul

Jhuki jhuki si nazar

Tumko dekha to yeh khayal

Sehma sehma

Yaad kiya dil ne kaha ho tum

Aap ko dekh kar

Jab saamne tum

Hazaron khwaishe aisi

Ya to mit jaaeeye ya mita deejiye

Tere aane ki jab khabar mehke

woh khat ke purje jala raha tha

tum ye kaise khafa ho gaye

hum to hai perdes mein desh mein

Jeevan Maran Chhe Ek (in Gujarati)

Woh kaaghaz ki kashti

Badi Najuk he ye manzil mohabbat ka safar he

Awards

In 2003, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honours, from the Government of India.

In 2006, Teacher's Achievement Awards

...and many more.

Discography

Song for films

{| class="wikitable sortable" ! Film Name !! Year !! Details |- |||2007|| |- |- |Umar||2006|| playback Singer: "Khumari Chaddh Ke Utar Gayi" |- |Baabul ||2006 ||playback Singer: "Kehta Hai Baabul" |- |Kasak||2005|| lyrics |- |Veer-Zaara ||2004|| "Tum Paas Aa Rahe Ho" lyrics |- |Dhoop''||2003|| playback singer: "Benaam Sa Ye Dard", "Har Ek Ghar Mein Diya", "Teri Aankhon Se Hi" lyrics |- |Joggers' Park||2003 ||"Bari Nazuk Hai" lyrics |- |Aapko Pehle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai||2003|| "Aisi Aankhen Nahin Dekhi" |- |Leela ||2002|| "Dhuan Uttha Hai", "Jaag Ke Kati", "Jabse Kareeb Ho Ke Chale", "Tere Khayal Ki" |- |Vadh ||2002|| "Bahut Khoobsurat" |- |Deham|| 2001|| "Yun To Guzar Raha Hai" |- |Tum Bin ||2001 ||Koi Fariyaad |- |Tarkieb ||2000|| Kiska Chehra ab mai dekhun... Tera chehra dekhkar |- |Shaheed Udham Singh ||2000|| |- |Bhopal Express|| 1999 || is duniya mein rakha kya hai |- |Sarfarosh ||1999|| "Hosh Walon Ko" |- |Dushman|| 1998 ||"Chhitti Na Koi Sandesh" |- |Khudai|| 1994|| "Din Aa Gaye Shabab Ke", "Ulfat Ka Jab Kisis Ne Liya Naam", "Ye Sheeshe Ye Rishte" |- |Mammo ||1994 ||hazaar baar ruke ham, hazaar baar chale by Gulzar |- |Khal Nayak ||1993|| "O Maa Tujhe Salaam" |- |Nargis|| 1992|| "Dono Ke Dil Hai Majboor Pyar Se", Main Kasie Kahoon Janeman |- |Billoo Badshah|| 1989|| |- |Aakhri Kahani||1989|| |- |Doosra Kanoon||1989||TV |- |Kaanoon Ki Awaaz||1989|| |- |Mirza Ghalib ||1988||TV Hit Serial Directed by Gulzar |- |Rahi ||1987|| |- |Aashiana ||1986||"Humsafar Ban Ke Hum" |- |Long Da Lishkara ||1986||"Ishq Hai Loko""Main Kandyali Thor Ve""Sare Pindch Puare Paye" |- |Phir Aayee Barsat ||1985||"Na Mohabbat Na Dosti Ke Liye" |- |Ravan ||1984||"Hum to Yun Apni Zindagi Se Mile""Main Gar Mein Chunariya" |- |Bahuroopi ||1966|| |- |Bhavna||1984||"Mere Dil Mein Tu Hi Tu Hai" |- |Kalka||1983|| |- |Tum Laut Aao ||1983|| |- |Zulf Ke Saye Saye ||1983||"Nashili Raat Mein" |- |Arth ||1982||"Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar""Koi Yeh Kaise Bataye""Tere Khushboo Mein Base Khat""Too Nahin To Zindagi Mein Aur Kya Reha Jayega""Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho" |- |Saath Saath ||1982||"Pyar Mujh Se Jo Kiya Tumne""Tum Ko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya""Yeh Bata De Mujhe Zindagi""Yeh Bata De Mujhe Zindagi""Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar""Yun Zindagi Ki Raah Mein" chitra singh |- |Sitam||1982|| |- |Prem Geet ||1981||Hontho se chhoo lo tum |- |Ek Baar Kaho||1980|| Koi Gesu Koi Aanchal Hamein Aawaaz na De (music: Bappi Lahiri) (genre: nazm) |- |Griha Pravesh||1979|| |- |Avishkaar||1973|| |- |Heena||1999||TV Serial |- |Neem Ka Ped||1994||TV Serial ("Muunh ki baat sune har koii (Title Song)") |- |Hello Zindagi||19**||TV Serial ("Hai Lau Zindagi(Title Song)") |}

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Ghazal albums

The Unforgettables (1976)

Birha Da Sultan(Shiv Kumar Batalvi) Jagjit & Chitra (1978

Live in Pakistan (1979)

A Milestone (1980)

Main aur Meri Tanhaayee (1981)

The Latest (1982)

Ae mere Dil (1983)

Live at Royal Albert Hall ª(1983)

Ecstasies (1984)

A Sound Affair (1985)

Echoes (1985–86)

Beyond Time (1987)

Mirza Ghalib (Two Volumes) (1988), TV Serial Directed by Gulzar

Passion / Black Magic (1988)

Ghazals from Films (1989)

Emotions

Man Jite Jagjit (1990)

Memorable Ghazals of Jagjit and Chitra (1990)

Someone Somewhere (1990)

H O P E (1991)

Sajda (Two Volumes with Lata Ji) (1991)

Kahkashan (Two Volumes) (1991–92), TV Serial Directed by Jalal Agaa

Visions (Two Volumes) (1992)

In Search (1992)

Rare Gems (1992)

Face to face (1993)

Your Choice (1993)

Chiraag (1993)

Desires (1994)

Insight (1994)

Cry for Cry (1995)

Mirage

Unique (1996)

Come Alive in a Concert (1998 (CD))

Live at the Wembley

Love is Blind (1998)

Silsilay (1998) (Lyrics by Javed Akhtar)

Marasim (1999) (Lyrics by Gulzar)

jaam utha(1999)

Saher (2000)

Samvedna 2002 (Atal Behari Vajpayee's poetry))

Soz (2002) (Lyrics by Javed Akhtar)

Forget Me Not (2002)

Muntazir (2004)

Jeevan Kya Hai (2005)

Tum To Nahin Ho (Lyrics by Bashir Badr) (2005)

Life Story (2006)

Best of Jagjit & Chitra Singh (includes Mere Darwaaze Se Ab Chand Ko Ruksat Kar do by Ali Sardar Jaffrey)

Koi Baat Chale (Lyrics by Gulzar)

Jazbaat(2008)

Inteha (2009)(Promoted on Banoo Main Teri Dulhann)

Trivia

The album 'Beyond Time' is the first digitally recorded album of India.It was recorded in the studio 'Western outdoor' by sound recordists duo 'Daman Sood and Avinash Oak.

References

External links

Jagjit Singh's Official website

IMDB entry

Twitter

Article on the Genius of Jagjit Singh in Asian Lite Magazine by Sreeram Chaulia

Review of Jagjit Singh's Biography, Beyond Time, in Asia Times by Sreeram Chaulia

Jagjit Singh Lyrics and Translations

Bazm-E-Jagjit

Jagjit Singh Albums and Lyrics

Ghazal singer Jagjit Singh in Dulhann

Dollar Mehta does a PhD on Jagjit-Singh

Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:Indian composers Category:Indian ghazal singers Category:Indian Sikhs Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan Category:People from Sri Ganganagar district

Name	Farida Khanum
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Farida Khanum
Origin	Kolkata, India
Genre	Ghazal
Occupation	singer
Years active	1950–present

Farida Khanum (born 1935) is a Pakistani Ghazal singer from Punjab. The Times of India has called her "Malika-e-Ghazal" (Queen of Ghazal).

In 2005, she was awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian honour by President Pervez Musharraf.

Early life

Born in (1935) in Calcutta and raised in Amritsar. Her sister is Mukhtar Begum.

She started learning Khayal from her sister Mukhtar Begum at age seven and later learnt classical music from Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan. Her sister Mukhtar Begum would take her, a seven-year-old Farida, to Khan’s place for riyaaz. She migrated to Pakistan after partition of India in 1947.

Career

Farida Khanum gave her first public concert in 1950 and then joined Radio Pakistan where she courted fame and fortune.

Personal life

Farida Khanum lives in Lahore, Pakistan. She has 1 son and 5 daughters. She lives with her second oldest daughter, and her only son, his wife and kids. One of her daughters lives with her husband and kids in New York, One of her daughters lives in Canada. Her youngest daughter is a specialist in endocrinology currently working in Services Hospital,Lahore and lives with her husband and kids.

Discography

1978 Farida Khanum In Concert

1979 Farida Khanum In Concert Vol. 2

1985 Taghazzul Farida Khanum Vol 1

1980 Farida Khanum In Concert Vol. 3

1993 Farida Khanum: Meri Pasand Vol 2

1993 Farida Khanum: Meri Pasand Vol 1

References

External links

Farida Khannum gets Haafiz Ali Khan Award - Indian Express

Category:1935 births Category:Living people Category:Hilal-i-Imtiaz Category:Pakistani female singers Category:Pakistani ghazal singers Category:People from Amritsar Category:Punjabi people

Name	Chitra Singh
Background	solo_singer
Spouse	Jagjit Singh
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	Ghazal, classical, devotional, folk
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1965–1991
Url

Chitra Singh (née Dutta) is a renowned Indian Urdu/Hindi ghazals singer. She is married to Jagjit Singh, who is also a prominent ghazal singer. They form a highly popular duet team and are considered pioneers in modern ghazal singing.

Early life

Chitra Dutta was born in a Bengali family. She had no formal musical training, but had strong roots of music in her family. She learned much of her music by listening to her mother's music teacher. she is married to Jagjit Singh .She has a daughter (from previous marriage)and a son

Performing career

Chitra Singh met Jagjit Singh in Mumbai (then known as Bombay), India, in the late 1960s, and they started a musical career together by singing jingles for various advertisements. Their career took off with the launching of The Unforgettables, an album with several firsts to its credit. Their public singing before large audiences revolutionized ghazal singing. Until then, ghazal singing had been confined to musical performances ("mehfils") before small audiences consisting primarily of the elite in the society.

The duo composed and sang songs for Hindi, Punjabi and Bengali albums. They contributed to devotional music by releasing albums which included Krishna, Chirag, Hey Ram, and Shabads. Krishna is one of the largest-selling titles in its category.

They are still favourites in Bangladesh and their old songs are still sung. "Ki Dile Amai Tumi?" (What have you given me?), "Bujhini To Ami" (I didn't understand), "Duti Mon Ar Nei Dujonar" (Two hearts are one), "Amar Chokher Joler Majhe" (In my tears) are some of their great Bengali songs.

After the death of their son, Vivek, in a car accident in Bombay, Singh stopped singing and retreated from the limelight. (She has been learning and working on different forms of spirituality, and practices spiritual healing therapies.)

Some of Singh's memorable songs include "Yeh Tera Ghar, Yeh Mera Ghar", "Tum Aao To Sahi", "Woh Nahin Milta Mujhe", "Saare Badan Ka Khoon", and "Mitti Da Bawa". Singh's voice is specially suited for ghazals, producing soulful gems like "Lab-e-Khamosh Se" (album Beyond Time). Her clear, touching, and high-pitched voice provided a perfect blend with Jagjit's deep baritone and smooth voice. Their duets created an extraordinary effect in songs like "Ishq Mein Ghairat-e-jazbaat Ne", "Aaye Hain Samjhane Log", and "Uski Hasrat Hai Jise Dile Se Mita Bhi Na Sakoon". Her voice also had a special dimension within the gamut of ghazal singing, so that in the case of "darbari mehfil" ghazals (as in "Dil-e-Nadaan Tujhe", "Dil He To Hai", and "Har Ek Baat Pe Kehteh Ho" from the album, "Mirza Ghalib") she was almost unparalleled.

Discography

A Milestone (1976)

The Unforgettables (1978)

Gold Disc (1979)

Ae mere dil (1980)

The earliest recordings of Jagjit and Chitra Singh

Live in concert with Jagjit Chitra Singh

Live at Wembley

Live at Royal Albert Hall

''The Latest

Desires

Arth/Saath Saath

Chirag

Live in Trinidad

Main aur Meri Tanhaayee (1981)

The Latest (1982)

Ecstasies (1984)

A Sound Affair (1985)

Echoes (1985–86, Live Recordings)

Beyond Time (1987)

Someone Somewhere (1990)

H O P E (1991)

References

External links

Jagjit Singh's Official website

Jagjit & Chitra Singh

Oct 2007 Interview

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Indian female singers Category:Ghazal singers Category:Indian ghazal singers