KHAIRPUR: Connoisseurs and lovers of classical Sindhi music gathered in Mithri village, birthplace of Ustad Manzoor Ali Khan, 10 kilometres from here, on Sunday to pay homage to the all time great singing maestro on his 36th death anniversary.

Former chief minister Sindh Syed Ghous Ali Shah, who was a great fan of the Ustad, said at the gathering organised by a little-known Sindh Saqafati Tanzim that when he was minister for culture he used to listen to the Ustad and try to give him the importance equal to his stature.

He said that he could never forget the performance of the Ustad at the wedding ceremony of brother of renowned story writer late Naseem Kharal. The Ustad could sing poetry of almost all mystic poets of Sindh with equal mastery, he said.

He said that Ustad was in a league of his own and no artist had been able to take his place since his death. His was a great loss to the art indeed, he said. Radio broadcaster Akbar Shah, Hakim Shah, event organiser Mumtaz Rid and others also spoke at the anniversary programme.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2017