LAHORE Noted classical singer Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan passed away late on Monday night. He was 54.
According to his younger brother Shafqat Salamat Ali Khan, the singer was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure and had been bedridden for a few months. On Monday night, he was about to be taken to a hospital for a check-up when he died.
He was laid to rest at the Charagh Shah Wali shrine where his father Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, mother, grandmother and uncles Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan and Ustad Zakir Ali Khan are also buried.
Prominent among those who attended the funeral included Husain Bakhsh Guloo, Qadir Ali Shagan, Shaukat Ali, Faiaz Ali, Imtiaz Ali, Chand Khan, Suraj Khan, Ali Abbas and Ustad Tasadduq Hussain Khan.
Ustad Sharafat belonged to the Shaam Chaurasi Gharana. He was the eldest son of Ustad Salamat. Born in Multan in 1955, he graduated from the Government College, Lahore. Trained by his father, he achieved command over thumri, kafi, khayal and ghazal.
He performed in many countries and gave lectures on classical music at universities. He took part in about 100 music festivals around the world.
He was honoured with the Tamgha-i-Hunar award in Afghanistan and the Saraswati and other awards in India.
He started singing at an early age and later accompanied his father and brothers Sakhawat Ali Khan and Latafat Ali Khan at concerts.
The Shaam Chaurasi Gharana is believed to have been founded in the 16th century by Mian Chand Khan and Mian Suraj Khan who were contemporaries of great musician Mian Tansen.
Generations of musicians in the gharana specialised in dhrupad and evolved jugalbandi, a tradition of duet vocal.
Mian Karim Bakhsh Majzoob, Ustad Ahmed Ali Khan, Ustad Niaz Hussain Shami and Ustad Vilayat Ali Khan were the icons of the Gharana. And Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan (1920s-1984) and Salamat Ali Khan (1934-2001) are known for some memorable classical music of modern times.
Ustad Sharafat's qul will be held at 3 pm on Wednesday at his residence on Usman Street, Rustam Park, Mor Samanabad.
