Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan,
born on 2 April 1902, in Kasur, of the erstwhile Punjab Province, British India, was
an Indian
vocalist, from the Kasur-Patialia Gharana and hailed from a family of
musicians. Following partition of India in 1947, Kasur Tehsil was allocated
to Pakistan.
He received his early training in vocals from his uncle Kale Khan — who had been a court singer in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. He also familiarised himself with the sarangi. Subsequently, he was trained by his father Ali Baksh Khan.
His musical might first became evident when he
found an audience for his “all-night riyaaz” in Kasur. His brothers Ustad
Mubarak Ali Khan, Ustad Bharat Ali Khan and Ustad Amanat Ali Khan were also
well-known contributors to the Kasur-Patiala gharana.
The most common epithet used to describe Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan is ‘Tansen of the 20th century’. Often referred to as Bade (older) Ghulam Ali Khan to differentiate him from other maestros of the same name, the genius musician was one of the most legendary thumri vocalists of all time, who took the Patiala Gharana, one of the schools of Hindustani classical music, to new heights.
Born in undivided Punjab, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan found his home in India many years after Partition — he lived in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, where he eventually passed away.
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