REMEMBERING THE 'KING OF GHAZAL' JAGJIT SINGH WHO CONTINUED TO ENTHRALL THE AUDIENCE EVEN AFTER THE LOSS OF HIS SON

There was a time when Ghazal Industry was dominated by Pakistani Ghazal singers but course changed as Jagmohan Singh Dhiman aka Jagjit Singh entered the arena and rest, as they say is history. With his distinctive melodious voice, Jagjit Singh is credited for the revival and popularity of ghazal by choosing poetry that was relevant to the masses and composing them in a way that laid more emphasis on the meaning of words and melody evoked by them. On the occasion of his 77^th birth anniversary, Jagjit Singh is as famous today as he was during his days.

From ‘Padma Bhushan’ to ‘Sahitya Academy Award’, Jagjit Singh received innumerable recognitions throughout his life span. Known as ‘Ghazal King’, Jagjit Singh gained acclaim with his wife Chitra Singh who divorced her husband and married Singh in December 1969. The couple suffered the terrible loss of death of their 20 year old son Vivek. They gave up music for a full year after the death. At the end of that period, Jagjit returned slowly to music, but Chitra announced her retirement and declared that she would not sing or record any more songs.

In spite of the countless tracks he sang, Jagjit Singh is hailed for his most memorable songs such as “Tum itna jo muskara rahe ho", "Hosh walon ko khabar kya" and "Tum ko dekha toh yeh khayal aya". In 2011, when he was due to perform with Ghulam Ali in Mumbai, Jagjit Singh suffered a brain haemorrhage and was in coma for over two weeks and breathed his last on 10^th October. A biography of Singh, entitled ‘Beyond Time’ as well as a biopic documentary by the name of Kaagaz Ki Kashti has been made on the life journey of Jagjit Singh, who broke through the norms and revolutionised the Ghazal scenario.