Begum Akhtar (1914-1974)

Akhtari  Bai faizabadi also known as Begum Aktar was a euphonious vocalist and also a great actress. She was known as the "Queen of Gazal " or "Mallika - E- Gazal ".  

Begum Aktar ji was born in Faizabad. At the early age of seven she was influenced by  Chandra Bai, an artist from theatre.

After that by her uncle 's insistence she started to learn music . Her first guru was Ustad Imadad Khan who was a sarangi player and then she continue her taalim from Ustad Ata Mohammad Khan from Patiyala. She moved to Calcutta and started to learn from Abdul Waleed Khan, Ustad Jhande Khan.At the tender age of fifteen she gave her first public performance. People were moved by her voice and she gained instant recognition. Her first recording was done by the Megaphone Record Company and they released many gramophone records with her melodious Ghazals, thumris, dadras, etc. Begum Aktar ji broke the convention of Mehfils and kotha circles and began performing in public concerts . She gave new identity to the music genre that was entrenched in a largely male dominated social establishment and played a stellar role in history of Indian Classical Music.  She composed ghazals and  has nearly four hundred songs  to her credit. Begum Akhtar’s voice covers a wide range of ghazals composed by poets like Mirza Ghalib, Meer Taqi Meer and Momin Khan Momin.

She gained fame in thumri, chaiti , kajri , dadra as well. Begum Akhtar's good looks and sensitive voice made her an ideal candidate for a film career in her early years. When she heard great musicians like Gauhar Jaan and Malak Jan, however, she decided to forsake the glamour of the film world for a career in Indian classical music. 

 Begum Akhtar married Barrister Ishtiaq Ahmed Abbasi in the year 1945. Due to family restrictions, Begum Akhtar could not sing for almost five years. She fell ill and her only medicine was music. In the year 1949, she returned to record at the Lucknow Radio station and sang three Ghazals and a dadra. She felt so satisfied and happy that she wept with joy. She then continued to give public performances and sing in concerts till she passed away.

 Akhtari was also a great trainer.  Her famous disciple  Vidushi Dr. Rita Ganguly , Vidushi Anjali Banerjee, Ms Rekha Surya . It has been heard that she didn't take any guru dakhshwina from her disciples. One of the most talented singers in Hindustani Classical music, Begum Akhtar was honored by the Government of India with Padma Shri in 1968. She was also awarded the Padma Bhushan posthumously in 1975. Begum Akhtar became the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1972. Her life and legacy is an inspiration of women performers who followed in her footsteps.