Shehzad Roy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shehzad Roy
SI TI
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Roy in 2017
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| Background information | |
| Native name |
شہزاد رائے
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| Born | 16 February 1978 Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Genres | Pakistani pop music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer Music video artist Social worker |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Fire, Spectrum |
| Associated acts | Wasu aur Mein, Chal Parha |
Shehzad Roy (born February 16, 1978) is a famous Pakistani singer, guitarist, and social worker. He is known for his work to help others, especially children. He began his singing career in 1995 and has released six albums.
While he has many hit songs like "Saali," "Teri Soorat," and "Kangna," he is most famous for his 2008 album Qismat Apnay Haath Mein. This album had songs about social and political issues in Pakistan.
Shehzad Roy is also the founder of Zindagi Trust. This is a charity organization that works to give Pakistani children a better education. He has also hosted two TV shows about education and life in Pakistan.
For his music and social work, the Government of Pakistan has given him several high honors, including the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) and the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence).
Contents
Early Life and Music
Shehzad Roy was born in Karachi, Pakistan. His father was a businessman who always encouraged him to follow his dreams. Shehzad finished high school at the Pakistan Community School in Saudi Arabia.
He released his first album, Zindagi, in 1995. He continued to release more albums over the next few years, including Darshan (1997), Teri Soorat (1999), Rab Janey (2002), and Buri Baat Hai (2005).
A Change in Music: Qismat Apne Haath Mein
In 2008, Shehzad's music changed. He went from singing romantic songs to writing music about important social issues. He released his sixth album, Qismat Apne Haath Mein, at a juvenile jail in Karachi. He did this to bring attention to the thousands of prisoners in Pakistan waiting for a trial.
The song "Laga Rahe" was about the political problems in the country at the time. The album's main song, "Qismat Apne Haath Mein," was about helping people who are less fortunate.
Famous Projects and Collaborations
Shehzad Roy has worked with many famous artists and on important projects both in Pakistan and around the world.
Work in Bollywood
A song by Shehzad was featured in the 2010 Bollywood movie Khatta Meetha. The song, called "...", was a mix of two of his popular songs from the album Qismat Apney Haat Mein.
Working with Other Musicians
- In 2014, he released a patriotic song called "Mere Dhol Sipahiya" with singer Ayesha Omer. The song was dedicated to the soldiers of the Pakistan army.
- In 2013, he performed with members of the famous American rock band Guns N' Roses, including Matt Sorum and Slash, at a charity event in Los Angeles. Some of the money raised went to his Zindagi Trust.
- In 2007, he worked with the famous Sufi singer Abida Parveen on a song called "Zindagi."
- In 2006, he brought Canadian rock star Bryan Adams to Pakistan for a charity concert to raise money for Zindagi Trust and for victims of the 2005 earthquake.
Pakistan Super League Ambassador
Shehzad is an ambassador for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), a major cricket tournament. He has recorded official songs for the league, including "Ballay Ballay" for the 2017 PSL. He is also the ambassador for the Karachi Kings team and has recorded anthems for them.
Work in Television and Film
Shehzad has used television to explore important issues in Pakistan.
Wasu aur Mein
In 2011, Shehzad discovered a villager named Wasu Khan on YouTube. Wasu was rapping about Pakistan's history. Shehzad found Wasu, and they worked together on a song called "Apney Ulloo."
This led to an 8-episode TV show called Wasu aur Mein. The show followed Shehzad and Wasu as they traveled across Pakistan. They talked about poverty, progress, and what it means to be a citizen of Pakistan.
Chal Parha
In 2013, Shehzad created a 22-episode TV show called Chal Parha. He traveled on a motorcycle to over 200 public schools across Pakistan. In each episode, he looked at a different problem in the education system, like old textbooks or poor teaching methods.
The show raised awareness about the need for better schools. It was so powerful that after an episode about physical punishment, the government passed a law to ban it in schools.
Helping Others Through Zindagi Trust
In 2002, Shehzad started Zindagi Trust, a charity focused on improving education for Pakistani children.
Paid to Learn
One of the Trust's first projects was "I-am-paid-to-learn." This program pays working children to go to school instead of working in places like car repair shops. It gives them a chance to get an education and learn about their rights.
Improving Public Schools
Shehzad realized that to help the most children, he needed to improve the government-run public schools. Zindagi Trust began working to fix school buildings, provide better facilities, and improve the way subjects are taught.
UN Goodwill Ambassador
In 2017, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) made Shehzad a National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan. In this role, he speaks out about important issues like justice and helping young people. He promised to be an active ambassador and make a real difference.
Raising Awareness for Child Safety
In 2018, after a sad event in the city of Kasur, Shehzad worked to raise awareness about child safety. He believes it is very important to teach children how to recognize and respond to unsafe situations. His work helped lead to new lessons about child safety being added to schools in the Sindh province.
Awards and Recognition
Shehzad Roy has received many awards for his music and his work to help society.
- Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence), one of Pakistan's highest civilian awards, in 2018.
- Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) in 2005.
In 2014, he performed at a special concert in Oslo, Norway, to celebrate Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
He has also been invited to speak at Harvard University about his work and has performed in Rome to share Pakistani culture with an Italian audience.
Music Awards
- 1999 – PTV Awards – Best Pop singer
- 2003 – 1st Indus Music Awards – Best Male Artist
- 2006 – 3rd Indus Music Awards – Best Pop Song ("Saali")
- 2009 – 8th Lux Style Awards – Best album (Qismat Apne Haath Mein)
- 2013 – 1st Hum Awards – Best solo artist
