When people were emotional after hearing Pankaj Udhas’s song, 51 rupees were received in reward

In the music world, Pankaj Udhas is remembered as a playback singer who gave a new dimension to Ghazal singing. Pankaj Udhas was born on 17 May 1951 in a zamindar Gujarati family in Jetpur near Rajkot, Gujarat. Pankaj Udhas also became interested in music from the atmosphere of music at home.

From the age of just seven, Pankaj started singing Udhas. His hobby was recognized by his elder brother Manhar Udhas and inspired him to follow this path. Manhar Udhas often participated in music related programs. He also included Pankaj Udhas with him.

Once Pakanj got a chance to participate in a concert where he sang the song ‘A Mere Watan Ki Jara Aankh Mein Bhare Pani Pani’. Listening to this song, the listeners became emotional. One of them was happy to pay 51 rupees to Pankaj Udhas. Meanwhile, Pankaj Udhas joined Rajkot’s musical drama academy and started learning to play tabla.

After a few years, Pankaj Udhas’s family came to Mumbai in search of a better life. Pankaj Udhas scored his graduation from the famous Saint Xavier’s College in Mumbai. After this, he enrolled for his postgraduate studies but later he became interested in music and he started studying music from Ustad Navrang ji.

Pankaj Udhas’s cine career began in 1972 with the film Kamna, but due to the weak screenplay and direction, the film proved to be badly unsuccessful at the ticket window. After this, Pankaj Udhas started gaining Urdu training with the aim of becoming a Ghazal singer. In the year 1976, Pankaj Udhas got an opportunity to go to Canada and started living in Toronto with a friend.

At the same time, Pankaj Udhas got an opportunity to sing at his friend’s birthday celebrations. At the same ceremony, a gentleman who presented Hindi programs at Toronto Radio was also present, he recognized the talent of Pankaj Udhas and gave him a chance to sing in Toronto Radio and Doordarshan. After singing in Toronto Radio and Doordarshan for about ten months, Pankaj Udhas’s mind got upset with this work.

Meanwhile, he met Mirchandani, the owner of the cassette company and gave him an opportunity to play the playback in his new album Ahat. This album became very popular among the audience. The film ‘Naam’, released in the year 1986, is one of the important films of Pankaj Udhas’ cine career. Although almost all the songs of this film proved to be superhit, but Pankaj Udhas’s velvet voice ‘Letter Aayi Hai Watan Se Patti Aaye Hai’ The song still molesters the eyes of the audience.

After this, he got a chance to sing in many films. Among these films, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, Till coming out, Thanedar, Sajan, Dil Aashna Hai, then Teri Kahani Yaad, Yeh Dillagi, Mohra, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Manjhar, Ghan, and Ye Hai Jalwa, are prominent. The sensitivity of the songs sung by Pankaj Udhas was also seen in his personal life. He is also a simple hearted person who consider the suffering and pain of others as his own and tries to remove it. There is an incident showing this feeling of sympathy and sensitivity towards others.

Once from Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai, a doctor called Pankaj Udhas that a person had a throat cancer operation and has a desire to meet him. Hearing this, Pankaj Udhas immediately went to the hospital to meet the person and not only sang him but also gave a cassette of his singing songs. Later, when Pankaj Udhas came to know that his throat operation was successful and his illness is slowly recovering, Pankaj Udhas was very happy.

Pankaj Udhas also received a lot of respect in his career. Among them, the best ghazal singer. Several awards like Sehgal Award, Radio Lotus Award, Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award, Dadabhai Naoroji Millennium Award and Artist Award are included. Also, in view of his remarkable contribution in the field of singing, he was also awarded the Padma Shri Award in 2006.

Pankaj Udhas performed playback for several albums, including intoxication, haasrat, smell, veil, drug 2, Afsana, Afreen, drugs, Humsafar, Khushbu and Togetar, prominent. Pankaj Udhas, who gave a new dimension to Ghazal singing, died on 26 February 2024.