Parween Sultana


Begum Parveen Sultana is an Indian Hindustani classical singer of the Patiala Gharana.,Agra gharana
She was awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 1998, given by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama.

Early life

Parveen was born in the house of famous Hazarika family of Puranigudam, a village in Nagaon, Assam, India to Ikramul Mazid and Maroofa Begum. Maroofa belongs to the Hazarika family and Ikramul Mazid whose roots were from Afghanistan was born in Daccapaty, Nagaon. Ikramul's mother was an Assamese Muslim lady from Chalchali, Puranigudam. Parveen went to one of the then finest school situated in Nagaon district of Assam, Mission High School, which was established before the famous freedom fight of 1857.
One day while watching her humming in Ikramul's lap, Maroofa noticed daughter Parveen's talent and asked her husband to teach her. Parveen's father was her first guru and was very strict with her, permitting her to only listen to Lata Mangeshkar and established Indian Classical vocalists. She also received some early training from her grandfather Mohammed Najeef Khan, a Pathan. She later learned music from Birendra Kumar Phukan and Hiren Sarma and then on her father's suggestion, she later learned music from Pandit Chinmoy Lahiri of Bengal. Parveen met her next guru and future husband Dilshad Khan one day while he visited Pandit Chinmoy Lahiri's home. He later accepted her as his disciple. Parveen sang her first duet with Dilshad Khan at Jashn Festival concert in Afghanistan. Parveen enjoys both vegetarian/non-vegetarian foods and is allergic to yogurt. Parveen faced a large mirror while practicing for hours to ensure her posture and facial expressions wouldn't look ugly or unsuitable for stage performances.

Career

Parveen gave her first stage performance in 1962 when she was 12 and has been recording music since 1965.
She has started her professional career with Abdul Majid's Assamese Film Morom Trishna. Sultana has sung for Bollywood movies such as , Kudrat, Do Boond Pani, and Pakeezah, and several other Assamese films. Recently, she sang the theme song of Vikram Bhatt's 1920. She also sang Humein Tumse Pyaar Kitna for the film Kudrat in 1981.
She has recorded for HMV, Polydor, Music India, Bharat Records, Auvidis, Magnasound, Sonodisc, and Amigo.
She was conferred the Padmashri in 1976, at the age of 25.

Personal life

She is married to Ustad Dilshad Khan. They have one daughter.

Awards and recognition

Parween also lent her voice to several songs in films throughout the years.