Parween Sultana, Classical Singer
Classical Singer

Parween Sultana

Born 10 July 1950 · verify

At the age just 26 she was Awarded Padma Shri in 1976 for excellence in Hindustani classical music.

Begum Parween Sultana is an Indian Hindustani classical singer of the Patiala Gharana. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014 by the Government of India and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1998.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Parween Sultana's vocal range extends nearly four and a half octaves, an unusually wide span for Indian classical sopranos.

The Story

1
🎤 In 1976, Begum Parween Sultana was awarded the Padma Shri at just 26 years old, marking her early recognition by the Indian government while rooted in Assam's Nagaon district.
2
In 1981, her rendition of "Humein Tumse Pyaar Kitna" in the Bollywood film Kudrat won her the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 1982, bridging classical music with mainstream cinema.
3🎶 Trained under Acharya Chinmoy Lahiri and later her husband Ustad Dilshad Khan, Parween Sultana developed a vocal range spanning nearly four and a half octaves, a rarity among classical vocalists.
4She began her professional career singing for the Assamese film Morom Trishna and continued to lend her voice to multiple Assamese films, maintaining a unique regional connection.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1976
Padma Shri
2014
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1982, Parween Sultana won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for a classical-based song in the film Kudrat, an uncommon achievement for classical singers in Bollywood at that time.

🖼️

Through the Years

4 photographs from the archives
Parween Sultana performing at the Arghya music festival in 2011
Parween Sultana performing at the Arghya music festival in 2011
2011
Parween Sultana attending Kamini Khanna's 'Beauty With Astrology' show and book launch in 2011
Parween Sultana performing at Mukuli Bihu event in Guwahati in 2012
Parween Sultana in Bhopal during a public appearance in 2014

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Nagaon, Assam
Parween Sultana was born in Puranigudam, Nagaon district, Assam, establishing her roots in Northeast India.
1950
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Shri
Received the Padma Shri from the Government of India, recognizing her contributions to Hindustani classical music.
1976
⚡
Career
Sang 'Humein Tumse Pyaar Kitna'
Recorded the song for the film Kudrat, which later won her the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award.
1981
🏅
Award
Won Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
Awarded for her classical-based song in the Bollywood film Kudrat, a rare feat for classical vocalists.
1982
🏅
Award
Received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Honored by India's National Academy for Music, Dance, and Drama for her excellence in classical singing.
1998
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Government of India recognized her sustained contribution to Indian classical music with the Padma Bhushan.
2014
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Her professional singing career began with the Assamese film Morom Trishna, illustrating her deep roots in regional music before national recognition.

02 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Parween Sultana frequently collaborated with harmonium maestro Pandit Shrinivas Acharya, highlighting a consistent musical partnership integral to her performances.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Her discography includes albums like "An Hour of Ecstasy" and "Genius of Parveen Sultana," featuring rare ragas and thumris, which helped preserve lesser-known classical compositions.

No quote recorded for Parween Sultana yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
"Perspectives on Classical Music Performance: Insights from Begum Parveen Sultana 🎶 "
More from this archive
"Perspectives on Classical Music Performance: Insights from Begum Parveen Sultana 🎶 "
01
"Perspectives on Classical Music Performance: Insights from Begum Parveen Sultana 🎶 "
Untold Facts About Parveen Sultana - Dreamz Film Productions
02
Untold Facts About Parveen Sultana - Dreamz Film Productions
Bagum parveen sultana | amazing interview about| Indian music and Musicians | Soubiri
03
Bagum parveen sultana | amazing interview about| Indian music and Musicians | Soubiri
Vidushi Begum Parveen Sultana Interview
04
Vidushi Begum Parveen Sultana Interview
Begum Parveen Sultana Says About Classical Music. Be a "Performing Artist" in real sense. Must Watch
05
Begum Parveen Sultana Says About Classical Music. Be a "Performing Artist" in real sense. Must Watch
Lec Dem on Indian Classical music by Begum Perveen Sultana Part2 xvid
06
Lec Dem on Indian Classical music by Begum Perveen Sultana Part2 xvid
Promo - Shakhsiyat with Begum Parveen Sultana and Ustad Dilshad Khan
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Promo - Shakhsiyat with Begum Parveen Sultana and Ustad Dilshad Khan
Begum Parveen Sultana & Ustad Dilshad Khan ~ Raga Marwa
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Begum Parveen Sultana & Ustad Dilshad Khan ~ Raga Marwa
Ustad Dilshad Khan & Begam Parveen Sultana interview.wmv
09
Ustad Dilshad Khan & Begam Parveen Sultana interview.wmv
"Value of Indian Classical Music" by Ustad Begum Parveen Sultana Ji.
10
"Value of Indian Classical Music" by Ustad Begum Parveen Sultana Ji.

🌱 What changed because of them

Parween Sultana's integration of Hindustani classical music into Assamese cinema and mainstream Bollywood created new platforms for classical vocalists. Her recordings with major Indian music labels helped preserve and disseminate Patiala Gharana styles widely. Awards like the Sangeet Natak Akademi honor and Padma Bhushan reflect her role in sustaining classical traditions amid contemporary shifts in Indian music.

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