LAHORE, Feb 4: Malka Pukhraj, prominent vocalist of the ageless Abhi to Mein Jawan Hoon, passed away here on Wednesday afternoon. She was 90.

Family sources said: "Her health had steadily been declining during the past six months, leading to her death," her son-in-law Senator S.M. Zafar said.

Her funeral prayers were offered in the evening and she was buried at her family graveyard at Shah Jamal. Her Qul will be held at 3pm on Thursday (today) at her West Bank Canal residence.

Born on Oct 17, 1912, in Jammu, Malka Pukhraj was coached by Ustad Allah Buksh, father of Barrey Ghulam Ali Khan.

The child prodigy joined Maharaja Hari Singh's court when she was eight years old. She captivated the people over the next eight decades with her command over the singing genres of Thumri, ghazals, bhajan and folk pahari geets.

Besides singing Hafeez Jullundhri's poems, her renditions included Lo Phir Basant Aayee, Quli Qutub's Pia Baaj Piyala Piya Jaaye Na, Allama Iqbal's Ye Gumbad-i-Meenaai and Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Merey Qatil, Merey Dildar, Merey Paas Raho, her array of various genres of music include ghazals, some of them dating as far back as the late 1930s.

In recognition of her contribution to music, she had received the Presidential Pride of Performance Award and the Legend of Voice from the All-India Radio in mid 1980s.

Malka Pukhraj has left behind two daughters and four sons. One of her daughters, Tahira Syed, emerged as a well-known signer in her own right. Her older daughter Saifee Syed is married to Senator S.M. Zafar, a leading lawyer.

Three sons - Tariq Hussain, Tauqeer Hussain, and Tasveer Hussain - have led comparatively private lives in the otherwise socially well-know family. Fourth son, Major Tanveer Hussain (retired) is now a member of the National Assembly.

Her late husband Syed Shabir Hussain was a bureaucrat and a well- known literary figure.