20 Facts About Begum Akhtar

1.

Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, known as Begum Akhtar, was an Indian singer and actress.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,545
2.

Begum Akhtar received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for vocal music in 1972, was awarded Padma Shri, and later a Padma Bhushan Award posthumously by the government of India.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,546
3.

Begum Akhtar was barely seven when she was captivated by the music of Chandra Bai, an artist attached to a touring theatre group.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,547
4.

Begum Akhtar cut her first disc for the Megaphone Record Company, at that time.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,548
5.

Begum Akhtar was amongst the early female singers to give public concert, and break away from singing in mehfils or private gatherings, and in time came to be known as Mallika-e-Ghazal.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,549
6.

Begum Akhtar's good looks and sensitive voice made her an ideal candidate for a film career in her early years.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,550
7.

Begum Akhtar chose her repertoire in primarily classical modes: a variety of raags, ranging from simple to complex.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,551
8.

Subsequently, Begum Akhtar moved back to Lucknow where she was approached by the famous producer-director Mehboob Khan, to act in Roti which was released in 1942 and whose music was composed by the maestro Anil Biswas.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,552
9.

Begum Akhtar's name appears differently in many film credits as Akhtaribai Fyzabadi, Akhtaribai Faizabadi, Akhtari and Begum Akhtar.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,553
10.

Begum Akhtar sang three ghazals and a dadra at Lucknow All India Radio station.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,554
11.

Begum Akhtar started crying afterwards and returned to singing in concerts, which she continued to do unto death.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,555
12.

Begum Akhtar sang publicly in Lucknow, in a women's only concert in aid of the war with China, which was held in 1962.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,556
13.

Begum Akhtar's voice matured with time, acquiring richness and depth.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,557
14.

Begum Akhtar sang ghazals and other light classical pieces, in her inimitable style.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,558
15.

Begum Akhtar was a regular performer on All India Radio.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,559
16.

Begum Akhtar usually composed her own ghazals and most of her compositions were raag based.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,560
17.

Begum Akhtar sang the timeless Bengali classical song "Jochona Koreche Aari".

FactSnippet No. 1,940,561
18.

Begum Akhtar died on 30 October 1974 in the arms of Nilam Gamadia, her friend, who invited her to Ahmedabad, which became her final performance.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,562
19.

Begum Akhtar's tomb was a mango orchard within her home, 'Pasand Bagh' in Thakurganj area, of Lucknow.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,563
20.

Begum Akhtar's disciples include Shanti Hiranand, who later received Padma Shri and wrote a biography Begum Akhtar: The Story of My Ammi.

FactSnippet No. 1,940,564