LAHORE – Better known by her honorific title Malika-e-Tarannum, Noor Jehan is being remembered today on her sixteenth death anniversary.
Born as Allah Wasai on September 21, 1926 in Kasur, Noor Jehan started her musical career from Calcutta at the age of nine as a talented child star.
She has to her credit at least 10,000 ghazals and songs in a variety of languages including Punjabi, Sindhi, Ursu and Hindi.
Besides singing, Jehan started her acting career once she moved from then Bombay to Pakistan after partition and signed ‘Chann Wey’ in 1951 while her last film was released in 1961 named ‘Ghalib’.
The Legendary actress and Melody Queen #NoorJehan‘s death anniversary being observed today. pic.twitter.com/ObtV4tmqu3
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) December 23, 2016
Noor Jehan received the highest civil decoration called Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (The Pride of Performance) in 1966.
After partition, she moved from Bombay and started her film career in Pakistan as actress, singer and the first female film director with film “Chann Wey” in 1951.
She also gave Pakistan a new genre, which later developed into a category we all know today as national anthems or milli naghme. The new beginning was made during the 1965 war, when Madam sang live on radio and TV some of the most gripping songs ever composed. In 1957, Noor Jahan was awarded the President Award for her acting and singing capabilities.
On December 23, 2000, she died as a result of heart failure and was buried in Karachi. The nation had lost a legend.
