Surjit Bindrakhia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Surjit Bindrakhia
Background information
Birth name	Surjit singh Bains
Born	(1962-04-15)15 April 1962 Rupnagar, Punjab, India
Origin	Bindrakh Pind (Rupnagar District) Punjab
Died	17 November 2003(2003-11-17) (aged 41) Mohali, Punjab, India
Genres	Punjabi Bhangra and Folk
Years active	1985–2003

Surjit Bindrakhia (born Surjit Bains; April 15, 1962 – November 17, 2003) was a famous singer from Punjab, India. He was known for his amazing voice. He could sing a note continuously in one breath, a technique called "hekh."

Some of his biggest songs include Meri Nath Dig Paye, Dupatta Tera Satrang Da, and Tera Yaar Bolda. Many people think Surjit had one of the best voices in Bhangra music. He even received a special award at the 2004 Filmfare Awards for his great contributions to Punjabi music.

Early Life and Beginnings

Surjit Bains was born in Bindrakh village, Rupnagar district, Punjab, India. His father, Sucha Singh, was a well-known wrestler in the village. He made the village famous through his wrestling.

Surjit was inspired by his father to try wrestling and kabaddi. He even won wrestling matches in college. But even though his father wanted him to be a wrestler, Surjit always dreamed of becoming a singer.

He started his singing journey by singing boliyan for his college bhangra team. He learned singing formally from his teacher, Atul Sharma. Before he became a big music star, Surjit appeared in films. His first movie song was "Baniye Ne Jatt" in the film Anakh Jattan Dee.

A lyricist named Shamsher Sandhu saw Surjit's talent. This helped Surjit get his big chance in the Punjabi music world. Most of his popular songs were written by Shamsher Sandhu. Atul Sharma, his guru, produced the music for these songs.

Surjit Bindrakhia married Preet Bains in April 1990. They had two children: a son named Gitaj Bindrakhia and a daughter named Minaz Bindrakhia.

Singing Career and Success

Surjit Bindrakhia had one of the strongest voices among Bhangra singers of his time. His voice was deep and could reach many different sounds. He was one of the most successful traditional artists in the Bhangra scene.

He became well-known in Punjab over many years. His first big break in the Punjabi music industry came in 1990. This was with his album Addi Utte Ghum. It included the song "Jugni," where Bindrakhia performed his famous 32-second hekh. This was a world record!

Surjit Bindrakhia is often called the first international superstar in Bhangra music. His song "Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da" was number one on the UK charts for many weeks.

He was very popular in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. People thought his voice was one of the most powerful among traditional Punjabi singers. He released 32 solo music albums during his career.

His big success in the international market came in 1994 with "Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da." This song changed everything for him. Many singers have tried to be as successful as Bindrakhia, but few have come close.

Many of his older songs were remixed in the 1990s. This helped him connect traditional Punjabi Bhangra with modern folk music. Bindrakhia was a traditional Bhangra singer. His music had a very "rustic" or natural feel. It had more strong dhol drum beats than other Bhangra music.

Bindrakhia was famous for his high-pitched hekh. This vocal style could last up to 42 seconds! Other singers tried this, but no one could do it like him. His singing matched the dhol beats. He would pause with the dhol and change his voice to different keys. This made his singing sound very unique and exciting.

Surjit Bindrakhia was one of Punjab's most popular singers. He was seen as the important link between old Punjabi folk music and new Punjabi pop music.

His Passing

News outlets reported that Surjit had health problems later in his life. He was in the hospital several times. Sadly, Surjit Bindrakhia passed away suddenly from a cardiac arrest on November 17, 2003. He was at his home in Mohali.

Many singers and artists came to his funeral in his home village, Bindrakh. Famous artists like Sardool Sikander, Hans Raj Hans, and Gurdas Maan paid their respects. His close friend and lyricist, Shamsher Singh Sandhu, and his music teacher, Atul Sharma, were also there.

Lasting Impact

Bindrakhia sold over 250 million copies of his music. About 175 million of these sales were in India alone. He also performed live with other great singers like Surinder Shinda.

Punjabi singer Babbu Maan honored Bindrakhia's family. In his 2005 album Pyaas, he included a song called Pind Diyan Juhaan dedicated to Bindrakhia. In 2011, DJ Harvey and Nirmal Sidhu made a tribute song called "Bindrakhia Boliyan." It was a huge hit, reaching Number 1 on the BBC Asian Network Chart.

In 2018, DJ and Music Producer DJ Frenzy released a remix of the hit song "Mundri Nishani." This was part of a series of Bindrakhia songs that DJ Frenzy planned to remix. This first remix was very popular with fans.

Even today, some of his songs like "Tera Yaar Bolda" and "Jatt Di Pasand" are played at almost every wedding in northern India.

Music Albums

Albums Released After His Death

Religious and Special Albums

Film Songs