Google Doodle pays tribute to Pakistan's legendary ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan

Commemorating what would’ve been his 91st birthday, Google paid tribute to Pakistan’s legendary ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan on Wednesday.

Known as Sultan or Shahenshah Of Ghazal, Mehdi Hassan was born on July 18, 192t in a village called “Luna” in Rajasthan, India.

His father and uncle were dhrupad singers, and the young Mehdi Hassan sang dhrupad and kheyal in his first concert. The family migrated to Pakistan after Partition.

He landed his first musical performance on Radio Pakistan in 1957, singing thumris. After that, he never looked back, going on to sing ghazals. He is widely considered the best ghazal singer of all time. Aaye Kuchh Abr Kuchh Sharaab Aaye; Patta Patta, Boota Boota; Dil-E-Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai and Dil Ki Baat Labon Par Laakar are among the his all-time hits.

In his long career, Mehdi Hassan also sang playback for many Pakistani films.

He was honored with numerous awards including Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.

He remained a leading singer of film industry along with Ahmed Rushdi. One of his songs he will be most remembered for is Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s, ‘Gullon Mein Rang Bhare.’

A host of other numbers like ‘Ik Husn Ki Devi Se Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha’, and ‘Jab Koi Pyaar Se Bulaye Ga, Tum Ko Ek Shakhs Yaad Aye Ga’ are also equally memorable. He sang for over 300 films during his music career.

Hassan died on June 13, 2012 after a protracted illness in a hospital in Karachi.