Google remembers the Queen of Ghazals - Begum Akhtar

Google marked the 103rd birth anniversary of “Queen of Ghazals” Begum Akhtar on Saturday by dedicating a vivid portrait to her. The doodle shows her sitting gracefully with a sitar with a few admirers around.

The singer was born as Akhtari Bai Faizabadi in 1914 in Faizabad, now called Uttar Pradesh. While she not just ventured into Ghazals alone, her renderings included Hindustani classical music like Dadra and Thumri.

Known as one of the few early female singers to have broken the concept of singing in 'mehfils' or private gatherings and started performing at public concerts, Akhtar’s famous ghazals include - Aye Mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya, Ghalib’s Dil hi toh hai na sang-o- kisht, Mere humnafas mere humnawa, Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s Aaye kuchh abr kuch sharaab aaye and Mir Taqi Mir’s Ulati ho gayi sabtadbeerein.

She was even conferred with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan for her immense contribution to Indian music apart from the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

The singer, who passed away on October 30, 1974, was buried in her home Pasanda Bagh in Lucknow.