TheIndian Music Archive

Hindustani classical · 1930–1989

Munawar Ali Khan

Kasur Patiala vocalist who sang beside his father, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, and then carried the style forward on his own.

Instrument
Khayal vocal
Born
15 August 1930, Lahore, Punjab, British India
Died
13 October 1989, Kolkata

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Piya Tori Tirchhi Najar Lago Piyari

Saregama Hindustani Classical

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Catalogue entry

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Biography

Life

Munawar Ali Khan was born in Lahore in 1930, the younger son of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. He was taught by his father and by his uncle Barkat Ali Khan. He accompanied his father to his concerts, and became an integral part of the recital after his father's paralytic attack in early 1961. Following his father's death in 1968 he began giving solo concerts.

He was a top-grade artist at All India Radio and joined the Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi as a teacher. He performed at major festivals in India and abroad, touring Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France and Australia, and representing India in Pakistan in 1984 and Afghanistan in 1986. Recordings were issued by Audiorec, His Master's Voice, EMI Music and Sony Nad, and with Sandhya Mukherjee he sang for the Bengali film Jaijawanti (1971).

He died in Kolkata on 13 October 1989, aged fifty-nine.

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Musical contribution

What they brought to music

His voice was full-throated, with open aakar, and his manner differed from his father's quicksilver style. He sang ragas not commonly heard in his gharana — among them Shuddh Kalyan, Bairagi Bhairav, Abhogi Kanada, Suha Kanada, Devgiri Bilawal and Ahir Bhairav — and created a raga he named Malini Basant. He composed khyal and thumri bandishes as well as geet and ghazal.

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Life in dates

Timeline

  1. 1930

    Born

    Born on 15 August in Lahore, the younger son of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

  2. 1961

    Joined his father's recitals

    Became an integral part of the performance after his father's paralytic attack.

  3. 1968

    Solo career

    Began giving solo concerts after his father's death.

  4. 1989

    Died

    Died in Kolkata on 13 October, aged fifty-nine.

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Lineage & company

Teachers, students and musical connections

In the documented teaching trees

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People

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Family

Community

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Provenance

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