Google pays homage to Mehdi Hassan on 91st birthday with doodle
Birth name Mehdi Hasan Khan
Also known as Khan Sahib
King of Ghazal
شہنشاہِ غزل
Born 18 July 1927[1]
Luna, Rajputana Agency, British India
Died 13 June 2012 (aged 84)[1]
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Genres
Classical music ghazal playback singing filmi
Occupation(s)
Singer music composer
Instruments
Vocals Harmonium
Years active 1957–1999 (retired)
Mehdi Hassan was born on 18/07/1927 in a village called Lunaa in Jhunjhuno district in British India into a family of traditional musicians.
He claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kaalawant clan of musicians.
MehdiHassan had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustaad IsmailKhan 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. His elder brother Pandit Ghulam Qadir also was very encouraging in sharpening his skills
In 1947, India became independent and its partition took place, creating a new, Muslim-majority country, Pakistan.
The 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan, carrying little with them by way of material goods.
They suffered severe financial hardships in their new country.
Mehdi initially started working in Chichawatni, in a bicycle shop Mughal Cycle House. He later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic.
Despite the financial hardships, he kept up the routine of his singing practice on a daily basis.
