Shaukat Ali, also known as Shaukat Ali Khan, (3 May 1944 – 2 April 2021) was a Pakistani

folk singer Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be c ...

Early life and career

Born on 3 May 1944, into a family of artists in

Malakwal Malakwal ( ur, ) is a city in Mandi Bahauddin District, Punjab, Pakistan. History In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005, he conquered the Shahis in Ka ...

, a town in District Gujrat (now falls in new District Mandi Bahauddin

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

, Pakistan), Shaukat Ali began singing, while at college in the 1960s, receiving help from his elder brother Inayat Ali Khan. He was introduced into the Pakistani film world as a playback singer by the renowned film music director

M Ashraf M. Ashraf or Muhammad Ashraf (1 February 1942 – 4 February 2007) was a Pakistani film composer. In the early 1960s, he first started as one member of the ''music directors duo'' of ''Manzoor - Ashraf'' in the Pakistan film industry. By th ...

in the Punjabi film ''Tees Maar Khan'' (1963). From the late 1960s, he performed

ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...

s and Punjabi folk songs. As a folk singer, he was not only popular in

Punjab, Pakistan Punjab (; , ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in central-eastern region of the country, Punjab is the second-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the largest province by population. It shares land borders with the ...

but also in

Punjab, India Punjab (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Himachal ...

. Shaukat Ali also toured and performed overseas wherever there were significant population centers of

Punjabi immigrants The Punjabi diaspora (''pajābī pravāsī'') mainly refers to the descendants of ethnic Punjabis who emigrated out of the Punjab region before Independence of Pakistan and India. The Punjabis who migrated after the independence of both countries ...

like in the UK,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and the US. Shaukat Ali was known for singing

Sufi poetry Sufi literature consists of works in various languages that express and advocate the ideas of Sufism. Sufism had an important influence on medieval literature, especially poetry, that was written in Arabic, Persian, Turkic and Urdu. Sufi doctri ...

with great vigor and a wide vocal range, for example

Heer Waris Shah ''Heer Ranjha'' (or ''Heer and Ranjha'') ( pnb, , ਹੀਰ ਰਾਂਝਾ ) is one of several popular tragic romances of Punjab, other important ones being "Sohni Mahiwal", "Mirza Sahiban" and " Sassi Punnhun". There are several poetic na ...

and Saif ul Maluk. Shaukat Ali received the 'Voice of Punjab' award in 1976. In July 2013, he was honored with the 'Pride of Punjab' award by the Pakistan Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAC). He gave a live performance at the

1982 Asian Games The 9th Asian Games ( hi, 1982 एशियाई खेल) were held from 19 November to 4 December 1982, in Delhi, India. 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken at the event. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of ...

in New Delhi, and was awarded the highest Pakistani civilian Presidential award

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...

in 1990. His song "Kadi Te Hass Bol Vey" was used in the 2009 Indian movie '' Love Aaj Kal''. He also released a track titled "Jagga". Shaukat Ali has also given performances at the

All Pakistan Music Conference The All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) is a volunteer organization founded in 1959 for the promotion of classical arts in Pakistan and continues to preserve and promote Pakistani classical and folk music and dance. It hosts a concert of musi ...

events and also appeared frequently on

Pakistani television Television in Pakistan started in 1964 and the first live transmission of Pakistan Television began on 26 November 1964, in Lahore.Pakistani singers Imran Shaukat Ali, Ameer Shaukat Ali and Mohsin Shaukat Ali.

Documentary on his life

In 2017, a Canadian company with the help of his son Mohsin Shaukat Ali, produced a one-hour-long documentary to commemorate his contributions to the

Pakistani music industry The Music of Pakistan ( ur, , lit=pákistáni mosíqi) includes diverse elements ranging from music from various parts of South Asia as well as Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and modern-day Western popular music influences. With these multiple ...

. This documentary shows the struggles Shaukat Ali faced throughout his career and also includes some of his past performances as well as interviews with many singers, including

Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...

. It documents his journey from a young aspiring singer who later becomes a popular folk singer of Pakistan.

Songs

*"Saif-ul-Malook--Awwal Hamd Sana-e-Elahi", sung by Shaukat Ali, lyrics by

Sufi poet Sufi literature consists of works in various languages that express and advocate the ideas of Sufism. Sufism had an important influence on medieval literature, especially poetry, that was written in Arabic, Persian, Turkic and Urdu. Sufi doctr ...

Mian Muhammad Bakhsh Mīān Muhammad Bakhsh (میاں محمد بخش) was a Punjabi Muslim Sufi and poet. Born in the city of Mirpur to a Gujjar family of Paswal tribe, he is renowned as a great poet and Sufi scholar by the people of Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Writ ...

, music by

Wajahat Attre Wajahat Attre (1945 – 26 May 2017) was a Pakistani music director who composed around 3000 songs for over 200 films. Early life Wajahat Attre was born in Puna, Gujarat, British India in 1945. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, ...

, film ''

Chan Varyam ''Chan Varyam'' () is a 1981 Pakistani action film. Directed by Jahangir Qaisar and produced by Mohammad Sarwar Bhatti, the film stars Sultan Rahi, Anjuman, Iqbal Hassan, Mustafa Qureshi, Afzaal Ahmed, Humayun Qureshi and Mehboob Alam. Rel ...

'' (1981) *"Sathio Mujahido, Jaag Uthha Hai Sara Watan", a 'Qaumi Naghma' song, sung by Shaukat Ali,

Masood Rana Masood Rana ( ur, , 6 August 1941 – 4 October 1995) was a Pakistani film playback singer. He began his singing career in 1962 with the film ''Inqalab'', became one of the top male singers in both Urdu and Punjabi films for more than thr ...

, lyrics by

Himayat Ali Shair Himayat Ali Shair ( ur, ; July 14, 1926 – July 15, 2019) was an Urdu poet, writer, film songwriter, actor and radio drama artist from Pakistan. He received the 2002 Pride of Performance Award for his literary services in Urdu literature from ...

, music by

Khalil Ahmed Khalil Ahmed (3 March 1936 – 22 July 1997) was a Pakistani composer for radio, television, and films. He started his career with film ''Aanchal (1962)'' and remained one of the leading music directors in Pakistan in the 1960s. He composed ...

, film ''Mujahid'' (1965) *"Mein Puttar Pakistan Da", sung by Shaukat Ali,

Inayat Hussain Bhatti Inayat Hussain Bhatti ( ur, ), (12 January 1928 – 31 May 1999) was a Pakistani film playback singer, film actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and a promoter of the development of the Punj ...

Naheed Akhtar Naheed Akhtar (also spelled Nahid Akhtar) is a Pakistani playback singer. She is tagged as the "''Nightingale of Pakistan''". She was the top Lollywood playback singer during the second half of 70s and 80s. She won 3 Nigar Awards and a Pride o ...

, lyrics by

Hazeen Qadri Bashir Ahmad (9 April 1926 – 19 March 1991), known as Hazin Qadri, was a Punjabi film song lyricist and film screenwriter from Pakistan. Early life Qadri was born Bashir Ahmad in a small village 'Raja Tamoli' near Gujranwala, British Ind ...

and music by Wajahat Attre, film ''

Athra Puttar ''Athra Puttar'' is a 1981 Pakistani Punjabi language action comedy musical film, directed by Altaf Hussain and produced by Chaudhry Mohammad Arif. The film stars Sultan Rahi, Mustafa Qureshi, Aasia, Ali Ejaz, Nanha and Bazigha. Cast * Sul ...

'' (1981) *"Nabi Dey Ghulam Asseen", sung by Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Sahil Siddiqi, music by Salim Iqbal, film ''

Behram Daku ''Behram Daku'' ( Punjabi: ) is a 1980 Pakistani Punjabi language action film, directed by Rauf Abbasi and produced by Khawaja Feroz Din. Film starring actor Sultan Rahi in the lead role, with Aasia and Allauddin, Talish. Cast * Sultan Ra ...

'' (1980) *"Ae Tay Wailea Aap Dessay Ga, Kaun Maarda Ae Maidan Pei Nay Hullay", sung by Alam Lohar, Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Nasim Fazal and music by Master Inayat Hussain, film ''

Maula Jat ''Maula Jatt'' ( pnb, ), is a 1979 Cinema of Pakistan, Pakistani Punjabi language Action film, action, musical film directed by Younis Malik and produced by ''Sarwar Bhatti''. The film is an unofficial sequel to the 1975's ''Wehshi Jatt'', sta ...

'' (1979) *"Mein Walait Kahnu Aa Gaya", sung by Shaukat Ali, lyrics by Taslim Fazli, music by

, film ''Playboy'' (1978) *"Lal Meri Patt Rakhio Bala, Jhoolay Lalan Dey", a traditional folk song, sung by

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

, Shaukat Ali,

Ahmed Rushdi ), Rushdi Sahab ( ur, ) , birth_date = , birth_place = Hyderabad Deccan, British India , death_date = , death_place = Karachi, Pakistan , origin = Pakistani , instrument = Vocalist , genre = ...

, Ghulam Ali, Pervez Mehdi, music by

Nashad Nashad ( ur, ) (11 July 1923 – 14 January 1981) was a film composer and music director of Indian and Pakistani film industry. He composed music for Hindi films in the 1940s and 1950s, credited on-screen under the names Nashad and then later ...

, film ''Parchhaen'' (1974) *"Har Dam Yahi Mere Lab Pe Sada Hai, Murshid Mera

Nadir Ali Shah Syed Nadir Ali Shah, (1897 - 8 October 1974) (Sindhi: سيد نادر علي شاهه, Urdu: سید نادر علی شاہ) popularly known as Murshid Nadir Ali Shah, was a Sufi saint of the Qalandariyya sufi order of Islam, Muslim preacher, ...

Hai", a devotional Sufi song or

Qawwali Qawwali ( Punjabi: (Shahmukhi), (Gurmukhi); Urdu: (Nasta'liq); Hindi: क़व्वाली (Devanagari); Bengali: কাওয়ালি (Bengali)) is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, originating from the Indian subcontinent ...

sung by Shaukat Ali (1975) *"Tu Wi Haq Da Wali", a devotional Sufi song or

sung by Shaukat Ali (1975) *"Saaday Yaar Nay Banh Laiy Sehray", sung by Shaukat Ali,

, lyrics by

Khawaja Pervez Khawaja Pervez ( ur, ), (28 December 1930 – 20 June 2011) was a prominent Pakistani film composer- lyricist and film songwriter for both Urdu and Punjabi language films. His real name was Khawaja Ghulam Mohiuddin. His professional caree ...

, music by

Ustad Tafu Altaf Hussain Tafu Khan (born 1945), better known as Ustad Tafu or simply Tafoo, is a Pakistani musician from Lahore, Pakistan known as a 'master tabla player'. Ustad Tafu is especially adept at playing the musical instrument ''Tabla'' . Ust ...

, film ''Charhda Suraj'' (1982) *"Teri Meri Aey Azlaan Di Yaari", a bhangra song sung by Shaukat Ali and

Mehnaz Begum Mehnaz Begum (1958 – 19 January 2013) was a Pakistani TV, radio, and film singer. She was well known as a film playback singer in the 1970s and 1980s. She was the recipient of Nigar Awards.Angara The Angara ( Buryat and mn, Ангар, ''Angar'', "Cleft"; russian: Ангара́, ''Angará'') is a major river in Siberia, which traces a course through Russia's Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai. It drains out of Lake Baikal and is ...

'' (1985) Shaukat Ali's folk song hits include "Kyun Door Door Reindey Au", "Kaddi Te Hass Bol Vey", "Jab Bahaar Aaii Tau Sehra Ki Taraf Chal Para", and many Punjabi folk songs including "Chhalla", "Jagga", "Kanwan, Maan Jannat Da Parchaavan".

Awards and recognition

Award in 1990 by the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.CMH Lahore The Combined Military Hospital Lahore is the largest tertiary care teaching hospital operated by the Pakistan Army. Its primary function is to provide specialized medical treatment to Armed forces personnel, their dependents (immediate familie ...

where he was getting treatment for liver failure. His funeral prayers were offered (2 April 2021) between Maghrib and Isha at Samsani Johar Town in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

References

External links

Shaukat Ali performing 'Challa' song on YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Shaukat 1944 births 2021 deaths Punjabi people Pakistani folk singers People from Mandi Bahauddin District Recipients of the Pride of Performance Punjabi-language singers Pakistani playback singers 20th-century Pakistani male singers 21st-century Pakistani male singers