Google Doodle celebrates Begum Akhtar’s 103rd birth anniversary

Google has dedicated its today's doodle to the famous Hindustani classical music singer Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, popularly known as Begum Akhtar. She was given the title of Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of ghazals) and is also the receiver of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

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Indian Hindustani classical singer Begum Akhtar’s 103rd birthday commemorated by an animated doodle by Google.

Today’s Google Doodle is dedicated to the renowned singer Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, famously known as Begum Akhtar. Born on October 7, 1914, Google is commemorating her 103rd birth anniversary. She was a popular Indian singer of ghazal, dadra and thumri genres of Hindustani classical music.

Akhtar’s journey in music began in her early childhood. She was around seven years old when the music of Chandra Bai, an artiste attached to a touring theatre group, captivated her. On her uncle’s insistence, she was sent to train under the Ustad Imdad Khan, the great sarangi exponent from Patna and later under Ata Mohammed Khan of Patiala. As her interest developed, she continued her training under various renowned musicians and artistes such as Mohammad Khan, Abdul Waheed Khan of Lahore before finally becoming the disciple of Ustad Jhande Khan.

At the age of 15, Akhtar gave her first public performance and soon gained popularity. However, it was after famous poet Sarojini Naidu appreciated her singing during a concert, which was organised to aid the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake victims, that she was encouraged to continue singing ghazals with more zeal and enthusiasm.

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Her death, as many say, was due to the additional pressure she put on herself. It was during a concert in Ahmedabad, where she wasn’t satisfied with her performance and due to the stress ended up falling sick. She breathed her last on October 30, 1974. A tomb was built in a mango orchard within her home, in Thakurganj area of Lucknow, and she was buried alongside her mother.

In her lifetime, the singer has received multiple awards and was also given the title of Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazals). She is also the receiver of Padma Shri in 1968 and Padma Bhushan (posthumously) in 1975.

The Google Doodle of Begum Akhtar was designed by guest artist Manuja Waldia.

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