Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan remembered

LAHORE
The 67th birth anniversary of legendary singer Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who stole millions of hearts all round the world with his unique singing style and an unprecedented fusion of Eastern and Western music, was observed all around the world on Tuesday.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the dynamic singer, was called the “The Singing Buddha” by his Japanese admirers. Such was the impact of Nusrat’s charming voice on the world that the world renowned Internet search engine ‘Google’ acknowledged this great talent of Pakistan by dedicated its doodle with his picture on his birthday on 13 October, 2015. He was born on October 13, 1948 in Faisalabad. He is also considered one of the pioneers of fusion music and is called as the Shehenshah-e-Qawwali.
He was trained specially by his father Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, who was a renowned Qawwal of the sub-continent. Nusrat was the first musician who merged eastern and western music styles. Among several records that he holds to his name, one is that he released the most number of albums ever by a Pakistani artiste, which amounts to 125. His famous Qawwalis include Ali (RA) Maula, Dum Mast Qalandar Mast and Mera Piya Ghar Aaya (My lover has come home).
He possessed amazing vocal capabilities and could perform for several hours with high intensity. He vocalised Hamd “Wohi Khuda Hai” and national song “Mera Paigham Pakistan” which are listened by the nation today.
In a befitting tribute, the Google administration stated on Nusrat’s birthday “such was the state of Qawwali in a not-so-distant past. Then came Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who opened the world’s ears to the rich, hypnotic sounds of the Sufis. Born to a musical family, Khan brought Qawwali from modest origins to international attention. He collaborated with, and influenced, countless musicians. And his endurance was astounding; some performances could last as long as 10 hours. Thanks to his legendary voice, Khan helped in bringing “world music” to the world”.
His contributions as a Qawwal and musician did not go unnoticed, since Nusrat was the recipient of numerous national and international awards.
The Government of Pakistan awarded the prestigious Pride of Performance Award to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in 1987 for his contribution and services to Pakistan. This undisputed and world renowned king of Qawwali died of lung cancer in 1997.