Who is Begum Akhtar?
Begum Akhtar is a South Asian classical music artist known for Khayal, Vocal. Stream 1 recording on Saarey Music.
Born as Akhtaribai Faizabadi on October 7, 1914, in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, Begum Akhtar was a celebrated Indian singer renowned for her ghazals, dadras, and thumris. She began her musical training at a young age and gave her first public performance at fifteen. Known as "Mallika-e-Ghazal" (Queen of Ghazals), she had a profound influence on Hindustani classical music.
Renowned in both India and Pakistan, she is esteemed for her sophisticated mastery of genres as well as her distinguished renditions of works by prominent Urdu poets.
Her career spanned from 1929 to 1974, during which she acted in films and released numerous recordings. After marrying Ishtiaq Ahmed Abbasi, she took a brief hiatus but returned to music and continued performing until her death on October 30, 1974.
Begum Akhtar received several accolades, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1972, the Padma Shri, and posthumously, the Padma Bhushan. Her legacy endures through her music and her disciples, such as Shanti Hiranand.
