Alamgir (pop singer)

Alamgir
Born	1955
Origin	Karachi, Pakistan
Genres	Pop, Playback singing
Occupation(s)	Singer musician
Years active	1970–present
Website	http://www.alamgirfanclub.com/

Alamgir is a versatile singer and is one of the pioneers of the Urdu pop music in Pakistan. His style of singing is inspired by playback singer Ahmed Rushdi. In April 2013, Alamgir joined Meesha Shafi, String, Ali Azmat and Shahzad Hasan as a judge on the immensely popular singing talent show Music Icons aired on ARY Digital.

Life and career

Alamgir was born in East Pakistan (modern-day Bangladesh) into a Bengali family. His father Farmuzal Haq was a politician and part of the All India Muslim League. He studied in Mirzapur Cadet College, Tangail, Bangladesh. He briefly studied in B A F Shaheen College, Dhaka, Bangladesh. At the age of around 15, he moved to Karachi, West Pakistan to continue his studies in the Karachi University to finally immigrate to USA.

He settled in the PECHS area of Karachi and started singing in the evenings at a small café called Globe Hotel" on Tariq Road. He was promised Rs 350 per month plus dinner. The café was famous for its intellectual gatherings and that is where he was spotted. Someone from the audience in the hotel liked his singing playing the guitar and told him about the programme at the TV station called Ferozan where Khushbakht Aliya was conducting a show for the youth. He gave his audition, Khushbakht liked his singing and guitar playing but she had already selected someone else. It just so happened that Sohail Rana, the music director was sitting in the same room who later asked someone to call Alamgir to his car outside the TV station. He said, he liked his (Alamgir's) playing and asked if he would like to perform as a guitarist for his children programme (hum hi hum). This is how he entered in the formal world of Music.

He started singing on the Pakistani Television at the beginning of the 1970s when the people in Pakistan were not familiar with the modern Urdu music and when western music was generally considered as modern music in Pakistan. Shair Siddiqui's songs for the first pop musical program 'SUNDAY KE SUNDAY' series of Karachi Television in 1973/74 and introduced Alamgir with the song 'ALBELA RAHI'. Albela Rahi. It proved a hit in 1973 among the youth of the 70s. There was a time during the 70s when the music loving boys and girls gathered regularly on the streets near the Karachi Jheel Park to get a glimpse of this pop singer as he used to travel along in his red sedan in evening. Alamgir's second pop song Pyar hai zindagi ka gehna was also an Urdu translation of a foreign song. He soon became popular among the younger generation in the country. Alamgir is also known for his many renditions of Bengali music. The most notable Bengali song he is known to sing is Aamay Bhashaili Rey.

Alamgir made a dash on the Pakistani music scene. He sang for the Pakistani television in the very beginning of his career but later as the time passed he started singing for the Pakistani music industry. He also performs abroad. Alamgir inherited polycystic kidney disease from his mother, undergoes dialysis three times per week and requires a kidney transplant. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is respected by the music lovers everywhere and still performs in live concerts in America. He returned to Pakistan to make a come back on the screen specially for his fans who grew up with him. He is now seen on TV channels and recently gave a live interview at a morning show on PTV channel named "Subh-e-Nau" on 6 January 2014. He was awarded pride of performance by the President of Pakistan due to his amazing performances in Pakistan throughout 70's, 80's and 90's.

Discography

In March 2012 Alamgir visited Bangladesh and Pakistan and performed in various shows. The songs and albums of Alamgir which have been released are as follows:

• Aaina
• Aamay Bhashaili Re
• Dekha Na Tha Kabhi Humne Ye Sama
• Dekh Tera Kia Rang Kar Dia Hai
• Gori Panghat Pe Tero
• Heart Beat (1992)
• Hum Sab Ka Pakistan
• Keh Dena
• Khayal Rakhna
• Maaon Ki Dua Puri Hui
• Shaam Se Pehlay Aana

See also

• Pakistani pop music