Suhrab Faqir


Sohrab Fakir Manganhar, also known as King of Sindhi Sufi Music, was a Sufi singer from Sindh, Pakistan. He received the Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1999.

Early life

He was born in 1936 in Talpur Wada village of Kot Diji town, in Khairpur District. His father, Hammal Faqir, was an expert of tabla and sarangi. Suhrab Faqir was king of Sufi-music in Sindh and was considered one of the greatest mystic singers of Pakistan.
Suhrab Faqir was born in a musicians family which had migrated from Jaisalmer State of Rajasthan, British India.

Career

Suhrab Faqir started learning tabla from Ustad Khursheed Ali Khan and his singing career started in 1974, when he was asked by Ustad Manzoor [Ali Khan] to sing at the Urs celebration of Sakhi Allahyar near Tando Mohammad Khan. He was introduced to the radio at Radio Pakistan Khairpur by the renowned Sindhi writer Tanveer Abbasi, where he recorded two songs of Ghamdal Faqir including the song, Galyan Prem Nagar Diyan which became very popular throughout Sindh.
In the early 1980s, he formed a Sufi music group, Sung and became a disciple of Faqir Dur Mohammad Heesbani.
He had toured Britain, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway and France where his artful singing was highly appreciated. He sang with other singers as well such as Jamal Faqir.

Popular songs

Suhrab Faqir died of kidney disease on 23 October 2009 at Talpur Wada near Kot Diji, Sindh, Pakistan. He had been ill for a long time. Earlier in August 2006, he was also hospitalized due to chest pain and for diabetic complications.