Munawar Ali Khan

Ustad Munawwar Ali Khan Ali Khan was a renowned actor of Hindi Cinema. He >> Read More... was an Indian Classical Vocalist of Kasur Patiala Gharana. He was born on 15 August 1930 in Lahore, Pakistan to the Indian Classical Vocalist Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Munawwar was the younger son of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Ustad Munawwar Ali Khan was a gem in classical singing and did many tours abroad to France, Germany, Switzerland, U.K., and Australia. He also represented India at many events in Afghanistan (1984) and Pakistan (1986). Munawwar was trained under his father; Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and his Uncle Ustad Barkat Ali Khan.

He assisted his father and accompanied him always to all his concerts and from Husainuddin Dagar ( Tansen Pandey) he learned Dhrupad. Ustad Munawwar Ali Khan had a different style from his father’s quicksilver style. He had a full-throated voice and in 1968 became “Khalifa” of the Kasur Patiala Gharana after Ustad Bade Ghulam Alim Khan’s death. Munawar Ali Khan had gifted vocals and sang ragas unique to the Kasur Patiala Gharana like Bairagui Bhairav, Abhogi Kanada, Shuddh Kalyan, Ahir Bhairav, Devgiri Bilawal, and Suha Kanada. He lent his voice in Bengali movie “Jaijawanti.” Munawwwar Ali Khan made many ghazals, geets, khyals, and thumri bandishes.

He was a great teacher and had many disciples like Indira Misra, Ajoy Chakraborty, Sajjad Ali Sajjad Ali is a versatile singer from Pakistan who >> Read More... , Sanjukta Ghosh, Primula Puri, and Adnan Salem. He died early in 1989 at the age of 59 in Kolkata, India; but his legacy is carried forward by his son Ustad Raza Ali Khan and nephews Ustad Mazhar Ali Khan, Abdul Aziz Khan, Naqqi Ali Khan, and Ustaad Jawaad Ali Khan. Munawwar trained his son and nephews to be leading Kasur Patiala Legacy.