Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan

Sangitanjaly Foundation ( a Non Profit Trust & NGO) is one of the established cultural organisations in India that promotes Indian Art & Dance forms, which includes Folk, Light Music, Fusion, Sufi, etc

Sangitanjaly Foundation is organising Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan National Festival of Music & Dance in on 13-14th Dec, 2025  (8th Season) in Hyderabad. It's a great honour for us to offer our Shradhanjali and remember Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb, who spent his last days in Hyderabad. Ustadji's Mazhar is located in Hyderabad at Dara Mir Momin in Hari Bowli in Charminar, and this Festival will be in his honour & also to show our reverence to this legend.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was a Hindustani classical vocalist from the Patiala Gharana. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was born in Kasur, a small town near Lahore, Pakistan. In 1957, with the help of Bombay Chief Minister Morarji Desai, he acquired Indian citizenship and moved to a bungalow at Malabar Hill in Mumbai. He lived at various times in Lahore, Bombay, Calcutta, and Hyderabad. At the age of five, Bade Ghulam started learning vocal music from his paternal uncle Kale Khan, and later from his father, Ali Baksh Khan. Bade Ghulam amalgamated the best of three traditions into his own Patiala-Kasur style: the Behram Khani elements of Dhrupad, the gyrations of Jaipur, and the behlavas (embellishments) of Gwalior. Many of his raga expositions were brief, contrary to convention and while he agreed that the beauty of classical music lay in leisurely improvisation, he believed that the audience would not appreciate long alaps and he had to sing for the masses and change the music to what the audience wanted. 

He excelled at more light-hearted ragas such as Adana, Bhupali, Hameer, Jaijaiwanti and Jaunpuri. He was convinced by film producer K Asif to sing two songs based on ragas Sohni and Rageshree for the 1960 film Mughal-e-Azam with the music directed by Naushad. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and in 1962, the Padma Bhushan Award. He died at Basheerbagh Palace in Hyderabad on 23 April 1968 after a prolonged illness which left him partially paralyzed in the last few years of his life. He continued to sing and perform in public with the support of Munawar Ali Khan until his death. Ustadji came to Hyderabad because of Nawab Moin-ud-Dowla Bahadur, who heard him sing on radio and sent someone to Pakistan for him. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan came to Hyderabad and stayed for a very long time. It was his wish to be buried here. His grave ( Mazhar) is located at Daira Mir Momin in Hari Bowli, Charminar, Hyd.

Why this Festival in Hyderabad?

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan had a special liking for ‘Hyderabadi Tehzeeb’ and always enjoyed his stay here. Ustadji is one of the most respected legends for his great contribution to Indian Classical Music.His name is synonymous with Patiala Gharana. His famous thumri composition ‘Ka karoon Sajni aaye na balam’ based on raaga Sindh Bhairavi, is an all-time favourite for all Hindustani classical singers. His Thumri ‘Yaad Piya ki Aye' bis ased on raag Bhinna Shadaj and Bhajan

‘Hariom Tatsat' based on raag Pahadi, are again amongst the most popular compositions of all times.

His Music transcended all borders and connected very well with all music lovers.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan spent his last days in Hyderabad and his ‘Mazhar’ is also located near Charminar, Hyderabad. It is therefore very logical that a Festival should be dedicated in the name of the Legend and make it an Annual Festivity by offering our respect and gratitude to this Great Soul.

Community Engagement and Development Initiative

India is considered as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnical and multi-linguistic subcontinent.

The very essence of Unity is its diversity. Language, Art, Culture, Literature etc are the noble elements that binds the community together. It is this thread that binds the entire population through length & breadth.  It is proven time & again that any community engagement initiative through language, art, culture, or literature connects very well with the people in India. 

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