Artist Bio: Jagjit Singh

Nick name: Jeet
Date of birth: 8, February, 1941
Place of Birth: Ganga nagar, Rajasthan, India
Father’s Name: Sadar Amar Singh
Mother’s name: Sardarni Bachchan Kaur
Profession: Vocalist, Musician and recording artist
Spouse: Chitra
Studies: Schooling from Khalsa High School, Graduated in Arts from DAV College Jalandhar, Post graduation from Kurukshetra, University, Haryana.

Jagjit Singh was born in a Sikh family in Rajasthan to Sardar Amar Singh. His father was a government employee and his mother was from a spiritual family. He had two brothers and four sisters. His father wanted him to pursue a career in administrative services but when people praised Jagjit Singh for his singing, he happily allowed him to get training from Pundit Chaganlal Sharma. This training helped him to become an expert in different forms of singing like Thumri, Dhrupad and Khayal. In the year 1965, Jagjit Singh came to Bombay in search of better and bigger singing opportunities and had to face many obstructions. Initially like many other beginners, he was also offered to sing petty commercial jingles and sing at wedding ceremonies. In 1970, while the industry was a conquered by Ghazal and classical singers and Jagjit Singh found it an apt time to enter the Bollywood music industry. Though Jagjit Singh’s first Album ‘The Unforgettables’ was criticized by many critics but the sales record of the album was more than satisfactory. Jagjit Singh married Chitra, a singer whom he met during his struggle period. Together they formed a singing team and released many albums, which were enjoyed and appreciated by masses. Some of their albums are Passions, A sound affair and Ecstaties. His album ‘Beyond time’ was a collection of different forms of music and sounds. Chitra quit singing, after their son met an accident and passed away at the age of twenty one. The couple’s last album together was ‘Someone Somewhere’ which they dedicated to their son. Jagjit Singh continued singing and established an image of a Ghazal singer after voicing for few of his albums like Mirage, In search, Visions, Kahkashan, Chirag and Love is Blind. He is titled as ‘King of Ghazals’ by the Bollywood music industry. He was the one who made a sincere attempt to make people understand the hidden meanings in the poetry of Mirza and Ghalib. Jagjit Singh’s works have been considered as masterpiece and his singing style has been praised for the presence of divine and soul in them.