MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s only ‘Pride of Performance’ winning singer and instrumentalist Muhammad Subhan Rathar lies on a hospital bed after suffering a stroke.

The 75-year old artist, already physically handicapped in a land-mine explosion at the Line of Control (LoC), suffered a stroke last weekend and has been hospitalized since.

SKZN Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Nauman Manzoor Butt has been attempting to draw the attention of the media and government functionaries towards the plight of the acclaimed artist. In his illustrious career Rathar won many awards for his performance, both at home and in other parts of the world such as Japan and Germany.

However, except AJK Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Shaheen Kausar Dar, hardly anyone has found time to visit the artist and his wife at the hospital.

Ms Dar has reportedly, also moved the case for the appointment of a permanent male attendant to look after Rathar who does not have any children.

However, while expressing gratitude for the deputy speaker’s efforts, Rathar told Dawn “Even if no one does anything for me, I have no grievances. God gave me what he thought was good for me.”

Born in Hayatpura on the outskirts of Srinagar, Rathar began his singing career at a young age. In 1965, he was a well-known singer for Radio Srinagar but decided to cross the dividing line for Pakistan.

Once in Azad Kashmir, he exhibited his singing skills at the nascent Azad Kashmir Radio Muzaffarabad (AKRM), where later in July 1969 he was inducted as a staff artist. He retired from the AKRM at grade-VII, equivalent to grade-18 in civil services, in July 1994.

However, he maintained his association with the AKRM against a consolidated contract of only Rs 6000 per month until 2012.

Rathar was a household name in not only Kashmiri speaking circles but also among other music lovers, as a melodious singer and an excellent Rubab player.

Rathar’s song ‘Walo ha Bagvano’, written by Kashmir’s legendary poet Ghulam Ahmed Mahjoor, is the title song for a famous Kashmiri programme Naubahar, popular on both sides of the LoC.

“There (in India held Kashmir) we could not sing revolutionary songs. When I came here, I sang this song at the Azad Kashmir Radio for the first time,” he murmured.

During his conversation with Dawn, he broke down a number of times while recollecting memories of performing at private and public functions for avid listeners.

Rathar was given the Pride of Performance award by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1989 for his exemplary contribution to Kashmiri music.

“Now I have only one desire, to perform on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar,” he said, through tear filled eyes.

Syed Arif Bahar, a noted Kashmiri writer, lamented that governments only pay tributes to legends after they have left this world.

“We should look after such people in their lifetime, that is when they need it,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2015

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