Asha Bhosle is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur, actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the media as one of the greatest and most influential singers in Hindi cinema. In her career spanning over eight decades she has recorded songs for films and albums in various Indian languages and received several accolades including two National Film Awards, four BFJA Awards, eighteen Maharashtra State Film Awards, nine Filmfare Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award and a record seven Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, in addition to two Grammy nominations. In 2000, she was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema. In 2008, she was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour of the country. The Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged her in 2011 as the most recorded artist in music history.
Prabodh Chandra Dey, known by his stage name Manna Dey, was a renowned Indian playback singer, music director, and musician. He had a classical music background, being part of the Bhendibazaar Gharana and receiving training under Ustad Aman Ali Khan. Manna Dey is widely recognized as one of the most versatile and celebrated vocalists in the Hindi film industry, and is often acknowledged for his significant contributions to integrating Indian classical music into Hindi commercial cinema. As a musician, Dey is particularly acclaimed for incorporating Indian classical music elements into a pop musical framework, a contribution that played a pivotal role during the golden era of Hindi cinema.
Kalyanji–Anandji were an Indian composer duo: Kalyanji Virji Shah and his brother Anandji Virji Shah. The duo are known for their work on Hindi film soundtracks, with many evergreen songs being composed by them.
Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi, better known mononymously as Khayyam, was an Indian music director and background score composer whose career spanned four decades.
Sudhir Phadke was an Indian singer-composer. He is regarded as an icon of the Marathi film industry and Marathi Sugam Sangeet with a legacy spanning five decades. Apart from Marathi, Phadke sang and composed songs in several Hindi films as well.
Pankaj Udhas was an Indian ghazal and playback singer known for his works in Hindi cinema, and Indian pop. He started his career with the release of a ghazal album titled Aahat in 1980 and subsequently recorded many hits like Mukarar in 1981, Tarrannum in 1982, Mehfil in 1983, Pankaj Udhas Live at Royal Albert Hall in 1984, Nayaab in 1985 and Aafreen in 1986. After his success as a ghazal singer, he was invited to appear and sing for a film by Mahesh Bhatt, Naam, in which his song "Chitthi Aayee Hai" became an instant hit. He did playback singing for many Hindi films after that. Albums and live concerts around the globe brought him fame as a singer. In 2006, Pankaj Udhas was awarded Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award. His brothers Nirmal Udhas and Manhar Udhas are also singers.
Anup Jalota, is an Indian singer, musician and actor, best known for his contributions to the Bhajan genre of Indian music. He is popularly known as the "Bhajan Samraat". The Padma Shri was awarded to him by the Government of India in 2012. He was a contestant on the reality show Bigg Boss 12.
Prabha Atre was an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana. She was awarded all three of the Padma Awards by the Government of India. She died after experiencing breathing difficulty in the early hours and was taken to Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital. She died from cardiac arrest before reaching the hospital. Atre died on 13 January 2024, at the age of 91.
Abhijeet Bhattacharya, professionally known as Abhijeet, is an Indian playback singer who primarily sings in the Hindi film industry. Apart from Hindi, he has also sung in other languages, including Marathi, Nepali, Tamil, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Odia, and his native language Bengali both in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Abhijeet has sung 6050 songs in more than 1000 films. He was nominated for Forbes Popular 100 Indian Celebrity in the year 2014.
Suresh Ishwar Wadkar is an Indian playback singer. He performs in both Hindi and Marathi films. He has sung songs in some Bhojpuri films, Odia albums and bhajans and in Konkani films.
Anuradha Paudwal is an Indian playback singer and politician who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. She has been described in media as one of the most prominent Bhajan singers and also as one of the most successful playback singers of 80s and 90s era of Bollywood. The recipient of several accolades including a National Film Award, four Filmfare Awards and two Odisha State Film Awards, she has been honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian honour for her contribution in the field of arts. Her contribution in Indian devotional music and Bollywood Industry gained her the titles such as "Bhajan Queen", "Melody Queen".
Anita Raj Khurana is an Indian actress and the daughter of well-known actor Jagdish Raj. Her notable films include Prem Geet (1981), Zara Si Zindagi (1983), Naukar Biwi Ka (1983), Zameen Aasman (1984), Ghulami (1985) and Mazloom (1986). Anita is also known for playing Priyamvada Singh in the TV Series Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani and Kulwant Kaur Dhillon in Choti Sarrdaarni. Currently she is seen as Kaveri Poddar in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.
Poornima Shrestha, is an Indian playback singer. Starting as a child artist, she became a leading playback singer in Bollywood during the 1990s.
Sudarshan Faakir, better known by his takhallus Faakir, was an Indian Urdu poet and lyricist. His ghazals and nazms were sung by Begum Akhtar and Jagjit Singh. His son Manav Faakir is also a Lyricist.
Ustad Barkat Ali Khan was a Pakistani classical singer, younger brother of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and elder brother of Mubarak Ali Khan, and belonged to the Patiala gharana of music.
Santram Varma is an Indian film and television director, producer and screenwriter, known for his works in Hindi television and cinema. His most notable works include Krishna Cottage, Virrudh, Jodha Akbar, and Naagin.
Ramavtar Tyagi, popularly known as "Tyagi", was a Hindi poet.
Shahid Kabir was an Urdu language poet and writer from Maharashtra, India. He was an active writer from 1952, writing poetry, short stories and articles. He was well-known mainly for his ghazals. His significant works include Kachchi Deewaren, Charon Aour and Pehchaan. He was recognised by the Maharashtra State Urdu Academy. His ghazals have been sung by several Indian singers including Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh, Hariharan, Chandan Dass, Munni Begum Shishir Parkhie and Sabri brothers.
Khalil Haider is a Pakistani ghazal singer.
