The legend stands alone in twilight
ISLAMABAD: Legendary classical musician and singer Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, admitted to the Polyclinic a few days ago for heartache, regrets that no one from the Culture Ministry, Pakistan National Council of the Arts and the music industry had inquired after his health.
He, however, praises Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Health Minister Naseer Khan for sending him bouquets and wishes to get well soon.
In his early 70s, Ustad Fateh Ali was shifted to the Polyclinic on Thursday after he complained of severe pain in heart. There he received emergency treatment before he was moved to the cardiac ward where his condition is stated to be stable now.
Dr Anis Kausar, who is attending to Ustad Fateh Ali, told Daily Times that his patient, who recently underwent a heart bypass in London, had minor cardiac complications including heartache. However, she went on, the great classical maestro is fast recovering and will be discharged in four or five days. “Ustad sahib’s condition is now stable and one needs not to worry about his health,” said Dr Kausar, who often takes lessons on classical music and ghazal singing from Ustad Fateh Ali. When Daily Times visited the great artiste in a VIP room of the cardiac ward, he was lying on a bed, but looked quite relaxed. He said he was satisfied the way he was treated at Polyclinic. “Though in hospital, I feel as if I am at home. Doctors are attending to me as if they are my family members. I’m fast recovering from the heart problem and will get back home soon,” he said.
He said he had received numerous telephonic calls from his enthusiasts from within the country and abroad all inquiring about and praying for his health. Some sent bouquets and ‘get well soon’ cards too, he said. But, he regretted, he had yet not been visited or contacted on telephone by anyone from the Culture Ministry, PNAC or the entertainment industry. He said he had been receiving free treatment at Polyclinic even though he could pay for it. “What I have to grumble about is that the organisations claiming to work for the welfare of artistes have left me alone and did not bother to sympathise with me in this difficult time. This indifference is simply unfortunate and needs to be taken care of by those in authority,” he said.
Ustad Fateh Ali shifted to Islamabad from Lahore in late 2001 along with his family. He is a scion of Patiala Gharana, one of the great classical music families of Indian subcontinent. His great grandfather Mian Kaloo used to perform in the court of last Mughal Emperor Bhadur Shah Zafar. Of numerous awards conferred on him by the government of Pakistan, Pride of Performance, Tamgha-e-Khidmat, and Sitara-e-Imtiaz are of note. One of his younger brothers, late Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, was the country’s ghazal maestro in addition to being a great classical artiste. Ustad Fateh Ali is considered best at singing Mian Ki Toddi, a morning raga. Ghazal singing is also is his forte. He has two sons, Rustam Fateh Ali Khan and Sultan Fateh Ali Khan, who sing both classical and semi-classical music.
The great artiste said he had a great desire to set up an academy to teach youngsters classical music and ghazal singing. He said he had rejected many offers from India on taking classes of classical music because he did not want to leave Pakistan, “the country I love the most.” He believes Pakistan can produce great classical artistes under the government’s patronage.
Ustad Fateh Ali regretted that TV channels, both private and state-run PTV, had almost ignored classical music and its artistes and rarely covered the functions of classical music. He said that pop singing was being promoted at the cost of classical music and ghazal singing.
Source: Daily Ti mes
Date:7/24/2007
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