Mohammed Rafi followers throng singer’s village in Amritsar on his beginning centenary

Individuals pay tributes to singer Mohammed Rafi at his native village of Kotla Sultan Singh close to Amritsar on Tuesday, December 24, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: PTI

“He continues to stay within the hearts of thousands and thousands of his followers,” says Om Prakash, who travelled from Jammu to go to his favorite singer Mohammed Rafi’s birthplace in Kotla Sultan Singh village close to Amritsar on his beginning centenary on Tuesday.

Mr. Prakash is among the many many admirers to make the annual pilgrimage to the legend’s village, however this time was particular because it marks the a centesimal birthday of the music icon, who’s thought to be one among India’s most celebrated voices.

Mohammed Rafi

“Rafi saheb ’s songs are as common at the moment as they have been when he was alive,” he mentioned.

In addition to Mr. Prakash, there was 80-year-old Adarsh Kumar Pruthi who travelled from Delhi alongside along with his spouse to pay tributes.

“I had this nice need to go to Rafi saheb ’s village on his a centesimal beginning anniversary. It feels so good to be right here,” Mr. Pruthi mentioned.

Over 50 Rafi followers, who got here from completely different elements of the nation, minimize a cake in his reminiscence and mingled with the locals.

Village elder Hardeep Singh, 82, took it upon himself to information the vacationers across the place the place Rafi’s outdated home as soon as stood. Mr. Singh’s grandfather purchased the land from the singer’s household years in the past.

Many followers additionally gathered close to his statue within the village to pay floral tributes and visited the varsity the place Rafi studied.

Rafi began singing by imitating the chants of a fakir in his village. However his first public efficiency got here when he turned 13, when he sang a Okay.L. Saigal tune in Lahore.

In 1944, Rafi moved to Mumbai to pursue a profession in singing and made his playback singing debut in Gaon Ki Gori , which launched the following yr.

He later went on to lend his voice to Bollywood stars, together with Amitabh Bachchan, Shammi Kapoor, Dharmendra, Dev Anand and Rishi Kapoor, in his profession as a profitable playback artiste.

He has quite a few hit songs to his credit score, together with a number of duets with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Working with music administrators like Naushad, O.P. Nayyar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and R.D. Burman, Rafi delivered evergreen tracks corresponding to Yeh duniya yeh mehfil , Chura liya hai tumne , Ohaseena , Tumjo mil gayeho , Chaudhvin ka chandho , Shirdi wale Saibaba and Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai .

Rafi died in Mumbai on July 31, 1980, from a coronary heart assault.