Legendry playback singer Mohammad Rafi was today remembered by the Shahr-e-Khas artistes here on his 39th death anniversary.
The artistes, singers and music composers of the old cityhere organised a mega function paying glowing tributes to the legendry singer.
The participants at the function ‘Pancham’ comprising youngartistes and singers sang Muhammad Rafi’s favourites.
The chief guest on the occasion, Ghulam Rasool Akhoon,broadcaster, showered praises on the late legendry singer.
He said the melodious voice of Rafi had become the identityof the most of the yesteryear Bollywood icons. He said it was the voice of Rafithat made many yesteryear actors into stars.
Terming him as an institution of music, he said, “Rafi sahibhad in an interview said that during his childhood he was influenced by thevoice of a Faqir (ascetic).”
Akhoon said the songs sung by Rafi Sahab will keep him aliveevery and always in the hearts of all music lovers in Kashmir and elsewhere.
The singers at the function sang old melodious songs ofMuhammad Rafi and enthralled the audience.
Muhammad Rafi was born in Kotla Sultan Singh on December 24,1924. Rafi started singing by imitating the chants by a fakir in his village.But his first public performance came when he turned 13, when he sang a KLSaigal song in Lahore.
In 1944, he moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in singingand made his playback singing debut in “Gaon Ki Gori”, which releasednext year. Rafi died in Mumbai on July 31, 1980 of heart attack.