Today is the 15th death anniversary, we remember Iqbal Bano, one of the most beloved classical singers and Ghazals in South Asia.
Iqbal Bano sang a lot of well-known songs from Pakistani movies. Her most well-known works were Ghazals and her translations of the poetry of renowned revolutionary and poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Iqbal Bano, who was born in Delhi in 1935, learned vocal music under Ustad Chaand Khan of the Delhi Gharana, a master of both light and classical traditional styles.
He taught her the fundamentals of both light and pure classical music within the Thumri and Dadra classical styles.
She received her Ustad’s Gaandaabandh shagird proper. She sang on the air at All India Radio in Delhi when he referred her there.
Iqbal Bano, who migrated to Pakistan from India in the 1950s, settled in Lahore, which is regarded as the film capital since he was connected to the Pakistan’s film industry.
Radio Pakistan extended an invitation to her to perform. She gave her first public performance at the Lahore Arts Council in 1957.
She also sang Persian poetry, which gained popularity in Afghanistan and Iran.
In 1974, Iqbal Bano received the Pride of Performance award in recognition of her outstanding achievements in classical music.
Dasht-e-Tanhai Mein and Hum Daikhen Ge are two of her well-known Ghazals and Nazams. At the age of 74, she passed away in Lahore on April 21st, 2009.
