Noor Jehan

September 21, 1926 – December 23, 2000

Kasur, Punjab, British India

Noor Jehan (September 21, 1926 – December 23, 2000), also known by her honorific title Malika-e-Tarannum (Queen of Melody), was a widely-admired Pakistani playback singer and former actress whose career lasted for more than half a century. She started in British India in the 1930s but moved to Pakistan with its inception, and came to be considered one of the greatest and most influential singers in Indian subcontinent history. She holds the record for having given voice to the largest number of film songs in the history of Pakistani cinema. Noor Jehan received more than 15 Nigar Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, eight for Best Urdu Singer Female and the rest for Punjabi Playback. She was the first Pakistani singer to sing at the Royal Albert Hall London and even she received the third-highest honour and civilian award of the country, the Sitara-e-Imtiaz.