Raj Begum Biography 
Raj Begum was a legendary Kashmiri folk singer who lived during the period, 27 March 1927 – 26 October 2016. The famed melody queen was honoured with Padma Shri in 2002 and Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2013. Her captivating voice has ruled generations of Kashmir’s music lovers. She started off as a singer who performs at wedding functions and gradually rose to fame to become one of the most powerful female voices in Kashmir in the 20th century.
Raj Begum was born on 27 March 1927 in Kashmir. She was born to Ghulam Rasool Sheikh of Magarmal Bagh in Srinagar. She started singing in her childhood, and as she grew up, she started singing in weddings. After Indian independence, when a radio station was opened in Srinagar (Radio Kashmir Srinagar) she became a regular performer since 1954 and slowly she turned one of the main melodies that the station would broadcast. Begam was an iconic figure in Radio AIR Srinagar Kendra. and was associated with AIR till 1986. Yet she continued with her performances.
Her captivating voice earned her the title of ‘Nightingale of Kashmir’. Her singing talents were nurtured by her father right from the childhood, who also allowed her to sing in wedding functions, at a time when girls were not allowed to do so. Before she joined AIR, female singers would sing in a guarded manner. Her uninhibited, high-pitch and melodious voice changed the perspectives of music lovers. Vyasiye gulan aavuy bahar, az saal antam baliyar is one of her popular renditions.
She breathed her last at her daughter’s residence in Chanapora locality at the age of 89. She has been suffering from illness during the last phase of her life and she passed away in the wee hours of 26 October 2016. She was survived by two sons, a daughter and a number of grandchildren.
Published: February 18, 2019
Updated: February 18, 2019
