Daily Times

Country’s legend in music industry popularly known as Queen of Melody, Noor Jahan’s 18th death anniversary was observed on Saturday.

Various events were organised by her fans and music lover to remember her services in the field of music.

Born with the name of Allah Rakhi, her career spanned more than six decades. She was renowned as one of the greatest and most influential singers of all time especially across South Asia and was given the honorific title of Malika-e-Tarannum in Pakistan. She had a command of Hindustani classical music as well as other music genres.

Along with Ahmed Rushdi, she holds the record for having given voice to the largest number of film songs in the history of Pakistani cinema. She is estimated to have made more than 40 films and sung around 20,000 numbers during a career which lasted more than half a century

Along with Ahmed Rushdi, she holds the record for having given voice to the largest number of film songs in the history of Pakistani cinema. She is estimated to have made more than 40 films and sung around 20,000 numbers during a career which lasted more than half a century. She is thought to be one of the most prolific singers of all time. Her persona and glamour in the East can easily be compared to that of Marilyn Monroe in the West.

She is also considered to be the first female Pakistani film director.

Jehan began to sing at the age of five and showed a keen interest in a range of styles, including traditional folk and popular theatre. Realising her potential for singing, her mother sent her to receive early training in classical singing under Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. He instructed her in the traditions of the Patiala Gharana of Hindustani classical music and the classical forms of thumri, dhrupad, and khayal.

At the age of nine, Noor Jehan drew the attention of Punjabi musician Ghulam Ahmed Chishti, who would later introduced her to the stage in Lahore. He composed some ghazals, na`ats and folk songs for her to perform, although she was more keen on breaking into acting or playback singing.

Her fans remembered her as the Melody Queen Madam Noor Jahan her name means ”Light of the World”. She sang for 65 years and won more than one hundred awards.