Dunya News - Second death anniversary of Mehdi Hassan today
- 10 years ago
Mehdi Hassan was born on 18 July 1927 in a village of 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.
Hassan started to perform at a young age and the first concert of dhrupad and kheyal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla‚ near present DC House (1935) of Undivided Punjab.
After the Partition of India‚ 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships.
Mehdi initially started working in Chichawatni‚ in a bicycle shop. He later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the financial hardships‚ his passion for music did not wither and he kept up the routine of practice on a daily basis.
In 1957‚ Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan‚ primarily as a thumri singer‚ which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity.
Following a severe illness in the late 1980s‚ Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing. Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music. Mehdi Hasan died at around noon on 13 June 2012 after a protracted illness, in a private hospital in Karachi.
Mehdi Hassan had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional Dhrupad singers.
Hassan started to perform at a young age and the first concert of dhrupad and kheyal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla‚ near present DC House (1935) of Undivided Punjab.
After the Partition of India‚ 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships.
Mehdi initially started working in Chichawatni‚ in a bicycle shop. He later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the financial hardships‚ his passion for music did not wither and he kept up the routine of practice on a daily basis.
In 1957‚ Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan‚ primarily as a thumri singer‚ which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity.
Following a severe illness in the late 1980s‚ Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing. Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music. Mehdi Hasan died at around noon on 13 June 2012 after a protracted illness, in a private hospital in Karachi.