Mehdi Hassan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Shahenshah-e-Ghazal Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan NI HI TI PP
مہدی حسن خان
Mehdi Hassan, the 'Emperor of Ghazal'
Born	(1927-07-18)18 July 1927 Luna, Jaipur State, British India
Died	13 June 2012(2012-06-13) (aged 84) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Occupation	Singer Music composer
Years active	1957–1999
Awards	Pride of Performance (1985) Nigar Awards for Best Male Playback Singer
Honours	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (2006) Hilal-e-Imtiaz (2010) Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (2004)
Musical career
Genres	Ghazal
Instruments	Vocals Harmonium Jal tarang
Labels	PTV Radio Pakistan

Mehdi Hassan Khan, known to many as Mehdi Hassan, was a very famous Pakistani singer. People called him Shahenshah-e-Ghazal, which means "Emperor of Ghazal." He is remembered as one of the greatest and most important ghazal singers ever. Ghazal is a special type of poetry set to music. Mehdi Hassan had a beautiful, deep voice that helped make ghazal music popular all over the world. He was unique because of his special melodies and how he kept the traditional musical patterns, called ragas, in a new and fresh way. He influenced many singers and received several top awards from the Government of Pakistan for his amazing contributions to music.

Discovering the Legendary Singer Mehdi Hassan
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Discovering the Legendary Singer Mehdi Hassan

Mehdi Hassan Khan was born on July 18, 1927. His birthplace was a village called Luna, in what was then British India. His family had been musicians for many generations. This meant music was a big part of his life from the start.

Early Life: A Musician's Beginning

Mehdi Hassan started singing very young, around age 4 or 5. He also began writing lyrics and composing music at age 6. His formal music lessons in Hindustani classical music began at age 8. His father, Ustad Azeem Khan, and uncle, Ustad Ismail Khan, were his teachers. They were both traditional dhrupad singers.

He performed for important people, like the Maharaja of Baroda, when he was just 8 years old. By the time he was 18, he had mastered several classical singing styles. These included dhrupad, dadra, thumri, and khayal. He often performed at royal courts with his brother, Ghulam Qadir. Mehdi Hassan also learned to play instruments like the harmonium and the jal tarang.

After India became independent in 1947, Mehdi Hassan and his family moved to Pakistan. They faced tough times and didn't have much money. Mehdi Hassan initially worked in a bicycle shop. Later, he became a mechanic for cars and tractors. Even with these challenges, he continued to practice his singing every day.

Mehdi Hassan's Amazing Singing Career

In 1957, Mehdi Hassan got a big chance to sing on Radio Pakistan. He started as a thumri singer. Later, he became known for his ghazal performances. He loved Urdu poetry very much. Because of this, he began to experiment by singing ghazals.

His first film song was "Nazar Milte Hi Dil Ki Bat Ka Charcha Na Ho Jaye" in 1956. A major breakthrough came in 1964. He sang a ghazal for a film called Farangi. This song, "Gulon mein rang bharay, baad-e-naubahar chale," became incredibly popular. It was written by the famous poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Even Faiz Ahmed Faiz himself would joke that the ghazal now belonged to Mehdi Hassan.

After this success, Mehdi Hassan became a leading singer in the Pakistani film industry. He sang for over 300 films during his career. In October 2010, a special duet song was released. It was called Tera Milna and featured Mehdi Hassan and the famous Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar. He recorded his part in Pakistan in 2009. Lata Mangeshkar added her voice in India in 2010.

Mehdi Hassan became unwell in the late 1980s. Because of his health, he slowly stopped singing for films. Eventually, he stopped performing altogether.

The Final Chapter: Mehdi Hassan's Later Years

Mehdi Hassan was unwell for many years before he passed away. He suffered from a serious chronic lung condition. He also received treatment for other health issues in various hospitals in Pakistan. In the late 2000s, he experienced his first stroke while in India.

In 2005, he traveled to India for special treatment. There, he was welcomed by many famous people and fans. Soon after returning from India, he had a second stroke. This made it hard for him to speak and limited his physical movement. In the days before his death, he developed a severe chest infection. He also had great difficulty breathing.

Mehdi Hassan passed away on June 13, 2012. He died in Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. His body stopped working due to multiple health problems.

Honoring the Legacy of Mehdi Hassan

Many people consider Mehdi Hassan one of the greatest singers from the sub-continent. They say he changed how ghazals were sung. In 1977, the famous Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar heard him sing. She was so moved by his voice that she said, "it seems as though God is singing through his voice."

On July 18, 2018, which would have been his 91st birthday, Google honored him. They featured Hassan on their homepage doodle. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani called him "an icon who mesmerized music lovers." Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also praised him. He said Hassan "brought the sub-continental Sufi sensibilities to life through his songs."

A Family of Musicians and Talented Students

Mehdi Hassan came from a family of musicians. Many of his children also became involved in music. He had 14 children, and 8 of his sons followed in his musical footsteps. Some of his sons were singers, and others played instruments like the tabla.

He also taught many students who went on to become successful musicians themselves. Some of his notable students include Pervaiz Mehdi, Talat Aziz, and Hariharan.

Celebrating Mehdi Hassan's Many Awards

Mehdi Hassan received many important awards and honors. These were for his amazing contributions to music.

Special Awards from Around the World

In 1979, he received the K. L. Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India.
In 1983, the Government of Nepal gave him the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu award.
The Government of Pakistan honored him with several top awards:
- Pride of Performance in 1985
- Tamgha-e-Imtiaz
- Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2010
- Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 2012

Top Film Awards for His Singing

Mehdi Hassan won many Nigar Awards. These are important film awards in Pakistan. He won for Best Male Playback Singer for films like Farangi (1964) and Saiqa (1968). He also won for Zarqa (1969), Meri Zindagi Hai Naghma (1972), and Naya Rasta (1973). Other wins included Sharafat (1974), Zeenat (1975), Shabana (1976), and Aaina (1977). He even received a special Millennium Award in 1999.

Exploring Mehdi Hassan's Famous Albums

Mehdi Hassan released many albums throughout his career. Some of his well-known albums include Kehna Usey, Nazarana, and Live at Royal Albert Hall. He also released Golden Collection Of Mehdi Hassan and Classical Ghazals. He sang countless beautiful ghazals, which are poetic songs.

Mehdi Hassan facts for kids

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