Nusrat Fateh’s mausoleum not being built at govt’s expense: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

LAHORE: Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has expressed that the mausoleum of legendary musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is not being built at the government’s expense but by him and his family members.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan while visiting the mausoleum of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, inspected the construction work of the grave. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan said that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is the crown jewel of the whole family. Special craftsmen have been called from Chiniot for the construction of the mausoleum, who will complete the construction of the mausoleum in six months, he asserted.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan said that if the government wants to do something, then it should do something for the academy and for the house in which the legendary Qawwal was born.  Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born in a Punjabi Muslim family in Faisalabad Punjab in 1948. 

Khan is widely considered to be the most important qawwal in history. In 1987, he received the President of Pakistan’s Award for Pride of Performance for his contribution to Pakistani music.

In 1995, he received the UNESCO Music Prize. In 1996 he was awarded Grand Prix des Amériques at Montreal World Film Festival for exceptional contribution to the art of cinema.

Read more: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: An unforgettable voice in the world of music

In 1997, he was nominated for two Grammy Awards, for Best Traditional Folk Album and Best World Music Album. As of 2001, he held the Guinness World Record for the “Most Qawwali Recordings”, having recorded over 125 Qawwali albums before his death. In 2005, Khan posthumously received the “Legends” award at the UK Asian Music Awards.

Several honorary titles were bestowed upon Khan during his 25-year music career. He was given the title of Ustad (the master) after performing classical music at a function in Lahore on the anniversary of his father’s death.

After traveling to London from Pakistan for treatment for liver and kidney problems, he was admitted from the airport to Cromwell Hospital in London. He died of a sudden cardiac arrest at Cromwell Hospital on 16 August 1997, aged 48.