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Begum Parween Sultana was born in Gowgong, Assam and was inspired to learn Hindustani classical music by her father Janab Ikramul Majib, a popular musician trained under Ustad Gul Mohammed Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, as well as by her grandfather, Janab Mohammed Najeef Khan, a talented Rabab Player.
A child prodigy, she trained with Pandit Chinmoy Lahiri for ten years. Debuting on stage at the age of 9, in 1965 she recorded her first EP for EMI India, and in 1967 the same label released her first LP. However due to his failing health, her guru suggested she move to Mumbai to train under Ustad Dilshad Khan. From August 1974, Parween started training under her new Guru and mentor, Ustad Mohammed Dilshad Khan.
She acquired a new dimension to her singing, giving it the required mastery of ragas and voice culture. Her range of four to five octaves and breathtaking virtuosity, not to speak of a perfect balance of abandon and restraint at the same time, have left audiences spellbound everywhere she has performed.
Parween is a very popular artist on Television and Radio and has participated in many major music festivals in India and abroad. She has also recorded for the Indian film industry and has sung for the soundtracks of several well known Hindi films like Pakeezah.
The youngest artiste to receive the `Padmashri`, she has been called the `Queen of Hindustani Music` and `the Ultimate Soprano`. Her numerous awards include the Gandharva Kalanidhi, Mian Tansen Award and Sangeet Samragni Award.
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