LAHORE, 16 August , 2026 (Nosheen): The 29th death anniversary of world-renowned Pakistani musician and Qawwali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is being observed on Sunday, with admirers remembering his remarkable contribution to music and his role in taking Qawwali to audiences around the world.Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born on October 13, 1948, in Faisalabad. He was the fifth child and first son of Fateh Ali Khan, a renowned musician, vocalist, instrumentalist and Qawwal. Known as the “Shahenshah-e-Qawwali”, meaning the King of Kings of Qawwali, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was widely regarded as one of the greatest singers ever recorded. He possessed an extraordinary six-octave vocal range and was known for performing Qawwali with remarkable intensity for several hours.Continuing his family’s nearly 600-year-old Qawwali tradition, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan played a major role in introducing Sufi music to international audiences and earned global recognition for his distinctive voice and powerful performances.The legendary singer was also featured by the US magazine Rolling Stone on its list of “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.” The magazine said the artists on the list had shaped history and defined people’s lives through music.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan collaborated with prominent international and Indian artists during his career. He worked on music projects with Indian composer A.R. Rahman and lyricist Javed Akhtar, while his collaboration with Peter Gabriel on the soundtrack of The Last Temptation of Christ helped introduce his music to Western audiences.According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan held the record for the largest recorded output by a Qawwali artist, with a total of 125 albums by 2001.Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan fell seriously ill with kidney and liver failure on August 11, 1997, while in London. He died of a sudden cardiac arrest at Cromwell Hospital in London on August 16, 1997, at the age of 48.Nearly three decades after his death, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan continues to be remembered as an iconic voice of Qawwali and Sufi music, with his recordings and legacy continuing to inspire music lovers across the world.