Pakistan is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of legendary singer Madam Noor Jehan on September 21, 2026. Fans, artists, and media houses across the country are paying tribute to the woman remembered as “Malika-e-Tarannum,” or Queen of Melody.
Noor Jehan was born Allah Wasai on September 21, 1926, in Kasur, Punjab, into a family of musicians. She began performing as a child and went on to build a career that lasted around six decades, spanning both undivided India before 1947 and Pakistan afterward. Over her lifetime, she recorded thousands of songs in Urdu, Punjabi, and other languages, and became one of the most influential voices in South Asian film and music.
Besides singing, she acted in numerous films and became the first woman in Pakistan to direct a film, “Chann Wey,” in 1951. During the 1965 war with India, her patriotic songs boosted the morale of soldiers and citizens, a contribution still remembered by many Pakistanis today. For her work, she received top state honours, including Pride of Performance and Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
Noor Jehan passed away on December 23, 2000, in Karachi, but her songs remain widely played on radio, television, and social media. On her centenary, cultural institutions, broadcasters, and younger singers are expected to organise tribute events, replay her classic recordings, and share memories highlighting her lasting influence on generations of listeners.
