India-born Pakistan melody queen Nayyara Noor passes away

Karachi, August 21

Celebrated Pakistani singer Nayyara Noor, adored by millions from both sides of the border for her soulful melodies, passed away after a brief illness, her family said on Sunday, bringing the curtains down on the life of one of the last musical icons to represent the shared culture of India and Pakistan.

Noor was 71 and had been under treatment for quite some time in Karachi, media reports said. “It is with heavy heart that I announce the passing of my beloved aunt (tayi) Nayyara Noor. May her soul rest in peace,” her nephew Raza Zaidi tweeted.

Born in Guwahati in 1950, she leaves behind an enviable legacy and a treasure trove of mellifluous renditions. Her father was an active member of the All-India Muslim League and hosted Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah during his trip to Assam before the Partition in 1947. Sometime in 1958, her family migrated to Lahore in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Noor was honoured with the title “Bulbul-e-Pakistan” (Nightingale of Pakistan) and “Pride of Performance Award” in 2006. By 2012, she bid adieu to her professional singing career.

Interestingly, she had no formal training in music, but she was captivated by Akhtar’s ghazals and Bala’s bhajans since childhood. The Dawn newspaper had quoted her as saying that Kanan Bala and Begum Akhtar were their all-time favourites, with Lata Mangeshkar “a passion with everyone”.

While regaling her friends and teachers during a musical function at her alma mater — National College of Arts in Lahore — Professor Asrar Ahmad of Islamia College spotted her burgeoning talent. Soon, Noor found herself singing for the university’s Radio Pakistan programmes. In 1971, she made her playback singing debut in Pakistani television serials and then seamlessly transitioned to films like ‘Gharana’ and ‘Tansen’.