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Pankaj Udhas, a legendary ghazal singer and a Padma Shri awardee. He passed away on February 26, 2024, at the age of 72, after a prolonged illness. The news has come as a huge shock to the viewers. Pankaj Udhas not only sang ghazals but also some Bollywood songs. Here are some rare and unknown facts about his life and career: BollywoodLife is now on WhatsApp. Click here to join for the latest Entertainment News. – Pankaj Udhas was born on May 17, 1951, in Jetpur, Gujarat. His family was from a zamindar background and his grandfather was the first graduate from their village. His father was a government servant and a dilruba player who learned from Abdul Karim Khan, a renowned veena maestro. – Pankaj Udhas initially wanted to become a doctor, but his interest in music led him to learn the tabla and then Hindustani vocal classical music from Ghulam Qadir Khan Sahab. He later moved to Mumbai to train under Navrang Nagpurkar, a singer from the Gwalior Gharana. – Pankaj Udhas had two elder brothers, Manhar and Nirmal, who were also singers. Manhar helped Pankaj in his introduction to musical performance and his first stage performance was during the Sino-Indian War when he sang “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo” and was given Rs. 51 by an audience member as a reward. – Pankaj Udhas started his career with a release of a ghazal album titled Aahat in 1980 and subsequently recorded many hits like Mukarar in 1981, Tarrannum in 1982, Mehfil in 1983, Pankaj Udhas Live at Royal Albert Hall in 1984, Nayaab in 1985 and Aafreen in 1986. He also did playback singing for many Hindi films, such as Naam, Saajan, Yeh Dillagi, and Mohra. – Pankaj Udhas rose to fame for singing “Chitthi Aayee Hai” in the 1986 film Naam, which was based on the plight of Indians living in the Gulf countries. The song became an instant hit and touched the hearts of many. It also earned him his first Filmfare nomination for Best Male Playback Singer. – Pankaj Udhas was awarded the Padma Shri in 2006 for his outstanding contribution to ghazal singing and his philanthropic efforts towards cancer patients and thalassemic children. He also received many other awards and recognitions from different corners of the world, including the MTV Immies Award and the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award. – Pankaj Udhas was an active social worker and had raised funds for organizations like Cancer Patients Aid Society, Parents Thalassemia Unit, Spastic Society of India and MIND. He also started a talent hunt show called Aadab Aarz Hai on Sony TV to discover new ghazal talent.

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– Pankaj Udhas loved watching horse racing and had a filly (female horse) named Alliana. He also had a passion for photography and had exhibited his work in several galleries. He was married to Farida and had two daughters, Nayaab and Reva. Pankaj Udhas’ legacy will live on through his music, which has inspired and moved generations of listeners around the world. His contributions to the Indian music industry and his influence on the ghazal genre have cemented his place as one of the legendary figures in music. May his soul rest in peace. Note Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas has passed away. Here’s looking at some of the unknown facts about the legendary singer…