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One of the most popular musicians in the Indian subcontinent, Begum Akhtar was an eminent ghazal, thumri, dadra and bhajan singer. She was one of the most important exponents of the Poorab-ang thumree in our times. The colour of the Punjab and mingled beautifully into her Poorab style. She had a distinctive, easily identifiable style of singing. The notes which she produced were so limpid, so hauntingly sweet, that the audience was immediately captivated. She would render it so endearingly that her every note would grip the hearts of the audience. During her recitals, whenever she reached a high note her voice would crack, considered by connoisseurs the highlight of her recital. The audience would wait eagerly for that pleasing crack in her voice! Begum Akhtar possessed all the qualities that are so vital for a good ghazal singer. She had the uncanny ability of choosing the right kind of ghazal and adorning it with a befitting tune. In 1963, she was a member of the Government of Indiaªs cultural delegation to Afghanistan, where she gave several recitals which were greatly appreciated. Begum Akhtar, called the Queen of Ghazals, has also composed some ghazals. She gave her first performance at a charity show in aid of Bihar flood victims in 1921. Though only seven years old at that time, she sang continuously for six hours. After that, she sponsored and took part in many fund-raising programmes. Her magical voice and delightful expressions were extremely popular with music lovers.Begum Akhtar was born in 1914 in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. Her musical training began under Atta Ahmed Khan of Patiala. She was not very keen on learning classical music but learnt it in order to sing the lighter forms, like ghazals, bhajans, thumris and dadras. Her art was a vivid portrayal of the pure Lucknowi traditions of the nawabs dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. She died in August 1974. Begum Akhtar acknowledged Ramzan Khan, Ata Mohammad Khan, Abdul Wahid Khan and Barkat Ali as her gurus. She was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1972.