Mehdi Hassan passes away in Karachi hospital

Karachi/New Delhi, June 13: The shahenshah(emperor) of ghazal Mehdi Hassan is no more. He was 84.

After fighting a protracted battle against illness, the ace singer, hailing originally from Rajasthan, breathed his last at the Liaquat National Hospital in Karachi, his son Arif Mehdi said.

Mehdi Hassan was on ventilator for the last few weeks, and his condition suddenly deteriorated at around 4 am today, and his body began to get bloated. Doctors rushed in and tried to save him, but failed, said his son.

The namaaz-e-janaaza of the ghazal singer will be decided in consultation with his brothers, Mehdi Hassan's son said.

Mehdi Hassan was born on July 18, 1927 in a village called Luna in Rajasthan.

He belonged to a family of traditional musicians and claimed to 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 Bangla 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.

To make both the ends meet, Mehdi started working in a bicycle shop and later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic.

Despite the hardships, his passion for music didn't wither and he kept up the routine of practice on a daily basis.

The struggle ended when Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan in 1957, primarily as a thumri singer, which earned him recognition.

At the time, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar and Mukhtar Begum were considered the stalwarts of ghazal rendition.

Following a severe illness in the late 80s, Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing.

Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music.

In October 2010, HMV released “Sarhadein” in which probably the first and last duet song “Tera Milna” featuring Mehdi Hassan and Lata Mangeshkar was released.

This song was composed by Hassan himself written by Farhat Shahzad. Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, and Lata Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010 and later mixed together for a duet.

Mehdi Hassan was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions: the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz given by dictator Field Marshal Ayub Khan, Pride of Performance bestowed on him by another dictator Gen Ziaul Haq, and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz conferred by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He was presented the Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in 1979.

The Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award was given to him in Nepal in 1983.

Mehdi Hassan had been suffering from a serious lung condition for the past few years.

Some of his albums are: Kehna Usey , Nazrana , Live at Royal Albert Hall , Andaz-e-Mastana , Classical Ghazals vol. 1, 2, 3 , Dil Jo Rota Hai , Ghalib Ghazals , Ghazals For Ever Vol 1 , Golden Collection Of Mehdi Hasan Vol 1, 2 , Golden Greats , In Concert , Khuli Jo Aankh , Sarhadein, Sada-e-Ishq, Sur ki koi seema nahin, and Naqsh-e-Fariyadi.

Mehdi Hassan's timeless ghazals include : Ranjish Hi Sahi Dil Hi Dukhaane Ke Liye Aa, Shola Tha Jal Bujha Hoon , Zindagi Mein To Sabhi Pyaar Kiya Karte Hain , Rafta Rafta Wo Meri Hasti Ka Saamaan Ho Gaye , Patta Patta Boota Boota ,Ab Ke Hum Bichde To Shaayad Kabhi Khwaabon Mein Mile , and Main nazar se pee rha hoon.

Other notable ghazals sung by him include: