Jagjit Singh: The legacy of the ghazal maestro

On the anniversary of his passing, the legacy of renowned ghazal singer Jagjit Singh is being remembered. Born in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, in 1941, Singh famously moved to Mumbai in 1965 without his father's knowledge to pursue music, despite his father's wish for him to become an engineer.

Singh is credited with making ghazals accessible to the general public by simplifying the presentation of complex poetry by writers such as Ghalib, Mir, and Firaq. His ability to convey deep emotions through accessible language allowed his music to resonate across generations and with listeners who had limited knowledge of Urdu.

His career began with jingles for advertisements and progressed to significant film contributions, including songs for movies such as Bahuroopi, Bhavna, Khalnayak, and Dushman. He is also noted for giving early career opportunities to singer Kumar Sanu. Singh passed away on October 10, 2011.