Alamgir (Urdu: عالمگیر) is a famous Pakistani pop singer of the 1970s, who is in fact one of the pioneers of the Urdu pop music in Pakistan.

Life & Career

Alamgir was born in 1954 to Bengali parents in East Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh. He studied in P.A.F. Shaheen School, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He left home at the age of 16, in search of his destiny. He brought with him his guitar and an extra shirt and a small tape recorder. He did not know anyone in Karachi and desperately was in search of a job. He worked in Karachi, playing guitar, at a small cafe in Tariq Road area called the "Cafe D Khan". The cafe was famous for its intellectual gatherings and that is where he was spotted. His remuneration was a free meal at the hotel. Someone from the audience in the hotel liked his Guitar playing and told him about the programme at the TV station called Ferozan where Khushbakht Aliya was conducting a show for the youth. He gave his audition, Khushbakht liked his Guitar playing but she had already selected someone else. It just so happened that Sohail Rana, the music director was in the next studio and asked someone to call Alamgir to his car outside the TV station. He said, he liked his (Alamgir's) playing and asked if he would like to perform for children. This is how he entered in the formal world of Music.

He started singing on the Pakistani Television at the beginning of the 1970’s when the people in Pakistan were not familiar with the modern Urdu music and when western music was generally considered as modern music in Pakistan. Alamgir’s first song Albela Rahi, was an Urdu translation of a foreign language song. It proved a hit in 1973 among the youth of the 70’s. There was a time during the 70’s when the music loving boys and girls gathered regularly on the streets near the Karachi Jheel Park to get a glimpse of this pop singer as he used to travel along in his red sedan in evening. Alamgir’s second pop song Pyar hai zindagi ka gehna was also an Urdu translation of a foreign song. He soon became popular among the younger generation in the country. Alamgir is also known for his many renditions of Bengali music. The most notable Bengali song he is known to sing is Aamay Bhashaili Rey.

Alamgir made a dash on the Pakistani music scene. He sang for the Pakistani television in the very beginning of his career but later as the time passed he started singing for the Pakistani music industry. He also performs abroad. Alamgir always keeps physically fit and is currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is respected by the music lovers everywhere and still performs in live concerts in America.

Discography

Albums

• Aaina
• Hum Sab Ka Pakistan
• Best of Alamgir Vol 1
• Best of Alamgir Vol 2