Native name استاد منظور علي خان Occupation(s) Singer Genre Kafi | Genres Kafi, Classical music Years active 1940–1980 | |
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Died 9 September 1980, Tando Adam Khan, Pakistan Similar Muhammad Juman, Zarina Baloch, Allan Fakir, Badar uz Zaman, Ahmed Ghulamali Chagla | ||
Ustad Manzoor Ali Khan (Sindhi: استاد منظور علي خان) was born in 1922 at Shikarpur, Sindh, Pakistan. He was a great Sindhi classical singer. Ustad was the first classical musician of the twentieth century who knew about the regional classical music of Sindh. He belonged to the classical music singers family of Gwalior gharana, which was India's historical musical family.
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He died on September 9, 1980.
Migration
Ustad Manzoor Ali Khan's great-grandfather had migrated from Gurdaspur, Punjab, British India and came to live at Khairpur, Sindh because of the ruling Talpurs, who were quite fond of his music. In a short period of time, the family shifted to Shikarpur.
Education
Manzoor Ali Khan studied at Shikarpur up to secondary school level and later came to Tando Adam with his father in 1940.
Musical career
Manzoor Ali Khan took musical lessons from his father, Ustad Jamalo Khan and Ustad Seendo Khan. His parents took him to musical events in Sindh and India. Khan's biggest achievement was that he beat Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in a music contest, held at Lahore in 1940. He was maestro in singing "Thappo", a kind of classical music, in Pakistan. It was claimed by critics that Ustad Manzoor Ali Khan was one of the great scholars of classical music, who made various compositions of Indian and local classical and semi-classical music. He composed and sung Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai's poetry in all forms. He taught many young aspiring Sindhi students the art of classical singing and by his efforts, he revolutionized the Sindhi classical music. Sindh is truly indebted to him. Ustad had also performed at Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Karachi and then at Hyderabad since 1955, and Pakistan Television Corporation Karachi center in the same years, all of which was appreciated by the Pakistani audience. Many cassette companies have released the volumes of his programs.
Mother tongue
His mother tongue was Punjabi, however he used to speak and write in Sindhi. His children also received education in Sindhi language.
Awards
Manzoor Ali Khan received several awards for his performance. He was honored with the title of "Bahar-e-Moseeqi" by Makhdoom Talib ul Mola at the Urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai in 1960. Government of Pakistan recognized his services and awarded him "Tamgha-e-Husne Karkardagi" (Pride of Performance) in 1978.
Death
He died from a heart attack on September 9, 1980.