The Ludhiana connection: From Diljit Dosanjh to Amar Singh Chamkila, a look at the singers who made it big from here

Lal Chand Yamla Jatt

Popular folk singer Lal Chand Yamla Jutt was born in Chakk No 384 in Lyallpur district, now in Faisalabad, Pakistan, on March 28, 1910. After Partition, Jutt relocated to Jawahar Nagar, a refugee camp in Ludhiana. Jutt and his younger brother were popular as the ‘Total Brothers’ and his song ‘Das Main Ki Pyar Vichon Khatya’ is still popular in the Hindi film industry. He popularised songs on Dulla Bhatti and Puran Bhagat. Jutt also popularised the musical instrument Tumbi and performed with it worldwide. He died on December 20, 1991, in Ludhiana. He was 81.

Mohammed Sadiq

Mohammed Sadiq is an 85-year-old Punjabi singer, actor, composer and politician. Born in Kup Kalan village of Malerkotla district, Sadiq stayed in Ludhiana for most of his active career. Sadiq and Ranjit Kaur sang the iconic ‘Nigah Maarda Aayi Ve Mera Long Gwacha’ song, which is popular even today. Sadiq was best known for his attire as he wore a kurta, lungi, and pagri along with a half-jacket. Sadiq entered politics in 2012 by joining the Congress and was elected as an MLA from Bhadaur constituency of Barnala district. Later, he was elected as an MP from Faridkot MP from 2019 to 2024. On December 31, Dosanjh invited Sadiq on stage and the duo performed together with Sadiq even playing his Tumbi.

Amar Singh Chamkila

Amar Singh Chamkila, a celebrated singer from Punjab, reached new heights of fame after director Imtiaz Ali made a film on his life, starring Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra. Chamkila was born as Dhani Ram on July 21, 1960, in Ludhiana’s Dugri village, which is now a part of the city. A singer, composer, and musician, Chamkila was popular for using Tumbi in his shows. His vivid language, high-pitched vocals, and compositions made him popular.

Chamkila and his second wife Amarjot Kaur, his singing partner, were killed on March 8, 1988, in Mehsampur village in Jalandhar district. Their deaths remain a mystery. Amarjot Kaur was born in Faridkot but sang with Ludhiana-based popular folk singer Kuldeep Manak before joining Chamkila’s band.

Chamkila’s first wife Gurmail Kaur still stays in Ludhiana.

Kuldeep Manak

Born as Latif Mohammad on November 15, 1951, in a family of singers in Jalal village of Bathinda, Kuldeep Manak was popular for singing Kaliyan, a type of folk music. Former Punjab chief minister Partap Singh Kairon gave Mohammad the name Kuldeep Manak at a prize distribution function in his village school after listening to his Kaliyan. While Manak’s father Nikka Khan and two brothers were singers, his ancestors were Hazoori Raagis of Kirtan for Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha. Manak also had a global presence and was popular for playing the Tumbi. He was also known as ‘Kaliyan da Badshah’. To pursue a music career, Manak relocated to Ludhiana in the mid-60s. He died in the city on November 30, 2011. There is a statue in Ludhiana in his memory.

Surinder Shinda

Born on May 20, 1953, in a carpenter’s house in Ayali village in Ludhiana, Surinder Pal Dhammi, who later became popular as Surinder Shinda, always dreamt big. The son of Bachan Ram and Vidyavati, Shinda came from a low-income group. But there was a musical environment at his house as his father was a classical singer. “He started learning music at the age of four itself and Bachan Ram was his first guru,” noted poet and cultural activist Gurbhajan Gill said.

After Bachan shifted to Ludhiana, Shinda, who started singing at the age of nine, also got better opportunities in the city. Shinda was popular as the “grandfather of music of console”. A colleague of Kuldeep Manak, Shinda also taught music to Chamkila for a while. He acted in a few Punjabi films and his ‘Jatt Jeona Morh’, ‘Putt Jattan De’ and ‘Balbiro Bhabhi’ are evergreen songs even today. Shinda’s devotional song ‘Uchha Dar Babe Nanak Da’ is also popular. Shinda, who had over 160 albums to his credit, died on July 26, 2023, in Ludhiana after prolonged Illness. He was 70.

Sardool Sikander and Amar Noorie

Sardool Sikander was born in Kheri Naudh Singh village in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district on January 15, 1961. His father, the late Sagar Mastana, was a famous tabla player who invented a special type of tabla played with a thin bamboo stick. Sikander, who relocated to Ludhiana in the late 1970s for better career opportunities, has 27 albums to his credit. His ‘Roadways Di Laari’ is still popular today.

Sikander, who married popular singer and actress Amar Noorie in 1993, died on February 20, 2021, in Mohali due to COVID-19. Noorie, who was born in Rasoolpur village of Ropar district, had started singing at the age of 13. She started singing with Sikander from 1986 onwards. An acclaimed artist, she stays in their house in Khanna, easily identified due to the tablas on its rooftop.

K Deep and Jagmohan Kaur

Kuldeep Singh Kang, better known as K Deep, was born in Rangoon in Burma on December 10, 1940. Kang, who stayed in Ludhiana, was popular for his folk and duet songs and comedy. Most of his duets were with his wife Jagmohan Kaur, who hailed from Pathankot district in Punjab and relocated to Ludhiana after getting married to Deep in February 1971. ‘Poodna’ was one of their popular duets.

The couple was the first to record comedy in their records and their characters Mai Mohno and Posti are still memorable. Mai Mohno and Posti were a part of several records, including Posti Canada Vich, Posti England Vich, etc.

K Deep, the first singer to sing songs penned by acclaimed writer Shiv Kumar Batalvi, died on October 22, 2020, in a private hospital in Ludhiana. He was 80. Jagmohan Kaur had died earlier on December 6, 1997. She was only 49. Kaur had even acted in a few Punjabi films and was a playback singer for many Punjabi heroines.

Karan Aujla

Jaskaran Singh Aujla, better known as Karan Aujla, hails from Ghurala village in Ludhiana district. Born in January 1997, his parents Balwinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur died when he was only nine years old. Aujla was raised by his elder sisters and uncles. As a teenager, he met singer Jassie Gill and offered him the lyrics of the popular song ‘Range’, which became a big hit. A popular singer, rapper, and songwriter, Aujla’s ‘Tauba Tauba’ in Vicky Kaushal-starrer Bad News was a big hit in 2024. Aujla, who is currently performing across India, has been credited with writing Dosanjh’s popular song ‘G.O.A.T’. Aujla often blends rap with soulful melodies in his songs and his last concert in Punjab was in Chandigarh.

Gippy Grewal

Rupinder Singh Grewal, better known as Gippy Grewal, is a popular singer, actor, and filmmaker with roots in Ludhiana. Born in Ludhiana, Grewal did his schooling here and later moved to Panchkula for higher studies. Apart from his songs, Grewal’s Punjabi movies Carry on Jatta and Ardaas and their sequels have done roaring business. Grewal’s son Shinda Grewal is also a popular child artist in Punjabi movies. Grewal, whose ‘Angreji Beat’ was a big hit, is a popular name in the Hindi film industry and is known to be close to actor-producer Aamir Khan.

Tarsem Jassar

Born in Jassar village of Ludhiana, Tarsem Jassar is a popular rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor in the Punjabi film industry. He is well known for his work in Rabb Da Radio, Rabb Da Radio 2, and many others.

Singers Jasleen Royal, Inderjeet Nikku, Happy Raikoti, Indian idol winner the late Ishmeet Singh, Jassie Gill, and Amit Bhalla also have roots in Ludhiana.