Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi

Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi
SI PP
Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi SI PP
Background information
Birth name	Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi Niazi
Born	19 August 1951 (age 72); Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan
Origin	Punjab, Pakistan
Genres	Folk music; Ghazal; Playback singing; Film;
Occupation(s)	Playback Singer; Actor; Composer; Poet;
Years active	1971 – present
Spouse	Bazgha (m. 1985)
Children	Laraib Atta ; Sanwal Esakhelvi ; Bilawal Atta

Attaullah Khan Niazi,

Pakistani musician from Isakhel, Mianwali, Punjab.^[1]^[2]

In 2011, he appeared at

Coke Studio (season 4) and sang three songs: Ni Oothaan Waale, and Pyaar Naal.^[1]

In September 2017, he appeared again in

Coke Studio (season 10)

and sang Sab Maya Hai with his traditional band.

Early life

Esakhelvi was born on August 19,1951, in Esa Kheil, Mianwali, Punjab Province, Pakistan, as Attaullah Khan Niazi. Niazi is a populous Pashtun tribe based in the north-west Punjab province of Pakistan and the eastern regions of Afghanistan. Attaullah developed an interest in music as a child, but music was strictly forbidden in his home.^[3]^[4]^[5] Despite the restrictions on music in his home, Attaullah secretly sought to learn more about music.^[4] His school teacher taught him Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh songs and told him never to stop singing. Attaullah tried to explain his passion for music to his parents and convince them to let him sing, but they forbade him to continue singing.^[4] Disillusioned, Attaullah left home when he was 18 years old.^[4] He traveled extensively within Pakistan and supported himself by working from Mianwali. He is most popular in rural areas of Pakistan and many other countries in the world.^[2]

Musical career

Esakhelvi continued his training after leaving his parents' home and often recorded himself on cassette tapes that he later distributed.^[4]

In 1972, Esakhelvi was invited to perform on

Neelam Ghar in 1973.^[3]

He was invited by a company in Faisalabad to record folk songs in their studio, and he recorded four albums in one recording session.^[4] The albums were released at the end of 1977 and became national bestsellers.^[3]^[4]

In 1980, Esakhelvi performed in the United Kingdom for the first time. It was also his first concert abroad. His albums were eventually released in the UK under various labels, including Hi-Tech, OSA, and Moviebox.

He has performed

Na`at and Kalaam by famous Sufi poets, such as Mian Muhammad Bakhsh's Saiful Maluk and Bulleh Shah's Keey Bay Dardan Sang Yaree. He also sang the song of S M Sadiq a famous lyricist who has written songs in Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. Attaullah Khan visited India in 2014. The Times of India wrote: "A Sufi concert, Ibaadat, organized in association with the Navbharat Times, was recently held at Purana Quila in the capital. Pakistani folk singer Attaullah Khan performed for the first time in Delhi at this event. Khan sang his Achha Sila Diya Tune Mere Pyaar Ka and other Pakistani Sufi hits for the audience. The concert was organized by the AAS group, an NGO that works to spread awareness about cervical cancer among women and ways to prevent it, and this concert was organized to spread that message."^[7]

Personal life

Attaullah Khan is from Mianwali District, and his hometown is Esakhel. He received his early education from Esakhel. He is Punjabi-Pathan.^[8]

Attaullah relocated to

VFX artist who has worked for several Hollywood films.^[9]^[10] His son, Sanwal Esakhelvi, is also pursuing a career in music.^[1]

Legacy

He is considered a folk icon in Pakistan and is widely considered one of the most popular folk singers in Pakistan. The constant companion of Pakistani truck drivers is the lilting tunes of Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi. This Mianwali-born vocalist, with his swashbuckler moustache, kameez shalwar, and shawl on one shoulder, became the poster boy for traditional Pakistani music.[1]^[2]

Singing in Punjabi, which dominates western and southern Punjab, his searing, impassioned songs caught on like wildfire almost from the moment he recorded his first session for Radio Pakistan, Bahawalpur, in the mid-1970s.^[8] For years, Esakhelvi reigned supreme and unchallenged, in a universe that existed parallel to the cultured music salons of the elite.^[8]

He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in seven languages.

Guinness Book of World Records in 1994 for the highest number of audio albums released.^[3]

Awards

The Government of Pakistan awarded him the Pride of Performance Award in 1991.^[3]
Sitara e Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) on March 23, 2019, by the President of Pakistan.^[11]

Selected popular songs

Year	Song	Artist	Label
1978	ادھر زندگی کا جنازہ اٹھے گا^[8]	Attaullah Khan	رحمت گراموفون ہاوس
1992	Bedardi Se Pyar	Attaullah Khan	Waleed Records
	Qameez Teri Kaali, Te Sohnay Phullan Wali	Ataullah Khan	T-Series
2011	Pyaar Naal Na Sahi^[1]^[8]	Ataullah Khan	Coke Studio (Pakistan)
2011	Ni Oothaan Waale^[1]	Ataullah Khan	Coke Studio (Pakistan)

Musicians

Attaullah has his own band, which travels with him. Members of the band include:

Salamat Ali Khan (tabla)^[6]
Javed Ali (dholak)^[6]
Babar (flute)
Sabir Ali (harmonium)^[6]

The musicians in Attaullah's band have performed with him since the 1970s, in

UAE

.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Adnan Lodhi) (6 April 2016). "Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi on what makes him the common man's artist". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Adil Najam (22 November 2008). "Atta Ullah Eesakhelvi and the Cassette Revolution". All Things Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Sarfraz Ali (20 August 2016). "Guinness world record holder Attaullah Esakhelvi turns 65". Daily Pakistan (newspaper). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "The Coke Studio Journey continues with Episode 3!". Ink Magazine. 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ "Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi - Biography, Career, Songs List, Legacy". Pakpedia.pk website. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Abdullah, Rana. "Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi – A Pakistani Legend life History". The News Track website. Archived from the original on 10 July 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ "Pakistani folk singer Attaullah Khan performed during a Sufi concert at Purana Quila in Delhi - Times of India". The Times of India.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Rabe, Nate (5 April 2015). "Between hair salons and Coke Studio, Pakistani singer Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi conquers all". Scroll.in website. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ "I hope to work on projects in Pakistan, says Hollywood VFX artist Laraib Atta". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ "Pakistani visual effects prodigy making waves in Hollywood". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 31 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
^ "18 foreigners among 127 to be conferred civil awards on 23rd". Dawn (newspaper). 10 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2022.

External links

[tribune.com.pk-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Adnan Lodhi) (6 April 2016). "Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi on what makes him the common man's artist". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[ATP-2] Adil Najam (22 November 2008). "Atta Ullah Eesakhelvi and the Cassette Revolution". All Things Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[DP-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Sarfraz Ali (20 August 2016). "Guinness world record holder Attaullah Esakhelvi turns 65". Daily Pakistan (newspaper). Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[ink-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "The Coke Studio Journey continues with Episode 3!". Ink Magazine. 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[5] "Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi - Biography, Career, Songs List, Legacy". Pakpedia.pk website. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[newstrack-6] Abdullah, Rana. "Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi – A Pakistani Legend life History". The News Track website. Archived from the original on 10 July 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[7] "Pakistani folk singer Attaullah Khan performed during a Sufi concert at Purana Quila in Delhi - Times of India". The Times of India.

[scroll-8] Rabe, Nate (5 April 2015). "Between hair salons and Coke Studio, Pakistani singer Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi conquers all". Scroll.in website. Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[9] "I hope to work on projects in Pakistan, says Hollywood VFX artist Laraib Atta". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[10] "Pakistani visual effects prodigy making waves in Hollywood". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 31 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2022.

[Dawn-11] "18 foreigners among 127 to be conferred civil awards on 23rd". Dawn (newspaper). 10 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[6]

Arts
1950s	(1958) (1958) (1958) Professor (1958)
1960s	(1960) (1960) (1960) (1962) (1962) (1962) (1962) (1963) (1963) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1966) (1966) Khwaja Moinuddin (1966) Ayat Ali Khan (1966) Ustad Haji Mohammad Sharif (1967) (1967) Rafi Peer (1967) (1968) (1968) (1969) (1969) (1969) Umeed Ali Khan (1969) (1969) (1969)
1970s	(1970) (1970) (1970) (1970) (1971) (1971) (1974) (1977) (1978) (1978) Ustad (1978) (1978) (1978) (1979) (1979) Kishwar Sultan (1979) Ustad Fateh Ali Khan (Sitar Nawaz) (1979) (1979) (1979) Mureed Buledi (1979) (1979) (1979) Mohammad Azam Chishti (1979) (1979) (1979)
1980s	(1980) (1980) (1980) (1980) (1980) Aazar Zubi (1980) (1980) (1980) (1981) (1981) Mansoor Tabish (1981) Qari Syed Ali Sharfuddin Yemni (1981) Nanhe Ali Khan (music performer)) (1981) (1981) Alexander Robert (1981) (1981) (1981) (1982) Qari Ubaidur Rehman (1982) (1982) (1982) (1982) (1983) Ustad Nazar Hussain (1983) (1983) Qari (1984) (1984) (1984) (1984) (1985) Ustad Chhote Ghulam Ali Khan (1985) (1985) (1985) (1985) (1985) (1985) (1985) (1985) (1986) (1986) (1986) (1986) (1986) (1986) (1986) (1986) (1987) Ustad Abdul Majeed Dehlvi (1987) (1987) (1987) Sain Akhtar Hussain (1987) Qari Izhar Ahmed Thanvi (1987) Shaista Zaid (1988) (1988) (1988) (1988) (1988) Ustad Kabir Khan (1989) (1989) (1989) (1989) (1989) Jameel Bismil (1989) (1989) Ameer Khan (1989) Amjad Hussain (1989) (1989) (1989) (1989) (1989) (1989) (1989)
1990s	(1990) (1990) Khalid Hameed Baig (1990) (1990) Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan Mando (1990) Ustad Fateh Ali Khan (Gwalior gharana) (1990) (1990) Qari Mohammad Fida (1990) (1990) (1990) (1990) (1991) Khursheed Alam known as Gohar Qalam (1991) (1991) Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi (1991) (1991) (1992) (1992) Noor Mohammad Lashari (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1992) (1993) Ismail Shahid (1993) (1993) (1993) (1993) Syed Manzoorul Kaunain (1993) Qari Syed Buzurg Shah Al-Azhari (1993) (1993) (1993) (1994) (1994) Shahid Jalal (1994) Qari Mohammad Younus (1994) Qari Syed Ali Abid Naqvi (1994) (1994) (1994) Hamid Ali Bela (1994) (1994) (1994) (1994) (1994) (1994)) (1994) (1994)) (1994) (1994) (1995) Ustad Talib Hussain Khan (1995) (1995) (1995) (1995) (1995) (1995) (1996) Mashooq Sultan (1996) (1996) (1996) Qari Noor Mohammad (1996) (1996) (1996) (1996) (1996) (1997) (1997) (1997) (1997) (1997) (1998) (1998) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999) (1999)
2000s	(2000) (2000) (2001) (2001) (2002) (2002) (2002) (2002) (2002) (2002) (2002) (2003) (2003) Syed Afzal Hussain (2003) (2003) Abdul Aziz Baloch (2003) Ghulam Mustafa (2003) Majeed Khan (sarangi player) (2003) (2003) (2003) (2003) (2004) (2004) Mahtab Akbar Rashdi (2004) Chishty Bin Subh-o-Mujahid (2004) Navid Shahzad (2004) (2004) S. M. Naqi (2004) Haji Atta Muhammad (2004) Moin Niazi (2004) (2004) (2004) (2004) Samiur Rahman (2004) (2004) (2005) (2005) (2005) (2005) (2005) (2005) (2005) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) Ustad Qamar uz Zaman (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2007) (2007) (2007) (2007) (2007) (2007) (2008) Akhtar Munir (2008) Gopal Das (2008) Haji Mehr Ali (2008) Haji Sher Ali (2008) Nahid Raza (2008) Gul Bahar Bano (2008) Mujahid Hussain (2008) Rasheed Malik (2008) (2008) Abdul Karim Balouch (2008) (2008) M. Hanif Raza (2008) Nasreen Askari (2008) (2008) Mansoor Rahi (2008) (2008) (2008) (2009) (2009) Muhammad Younus Khan (2009) Emanuel Philip (2009) (2009) Shabbir Hussain (2009) Manzoor Hussain (2009) Parveen Nazzar (2009) Javaid Tufail Niazi (2009) Babar Ali Niazi (2009) Hajra Mansoor (2009) (2009) (2009) Khalifa Muhammad Irshad Beg (2009) Naseem Sultan (2009) (2009) Sahib Dino Mallah (2009) Satish Chandra Anand (2009) Rubeena Malik (2009) (2009) Muhammad Gul (2009) Mehnaz Hyat (2009) Abdul Qadir (2009) (2009) (2009) (2009)
2010s	(2010) (2010) (2010) Zulfiqar Ali (2010) (2010) (2010) (2010) (2010) (2010) (2010) (2010) (2011) (2011) (2011) (2011) S. Amjad Bukhari (2011) (2011) S.H. Qasim Jalali (2011) (2011) (2011) Ustad Hussain Bukhsh Gullu (2011) (2011) Ustad Muhammad Alam (2011) Ustad (2011) Wazir Afzal (2011) Zafar Kazmi (2011) (2011) (2012) Mohsin Gillani (2012) (2012) (2012) (2012) (2012) Rahat Naveed Masud (2012) (2012) (2012) (2013) Muhammad Ajmal Khan (2013) (2013) (2013) (2013) (2013) (2013) Shahid Abdullah (2014) Ustad Shafiquz Zaman Khan (2014) (2014) (2014) (2014) (2015) (2015) (2015) (2016) (2016) (2016) (2016) (2016) (2016) (2017) (2017) (2017) Rashid Mehmood (2017) (2017) (2017) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2018) (2019) (2019) (2019) (2019) (2019) (2019)
2020s	Deeba (2020) Ghulam Mohiuddin (2020) Sahir Ali Bagga (2020) Waris Baig (2020) Ghulam Abbas 2020 Saieen Zahoor (2020) Fareed Ayaz (2020) Sarmad Sehbai (2021) Resham (2021) Khalid Masud Gondal (2021) Muhammad Javed (2022) Hafeez Tahir (2023) Sangeeta (2023) Sher Miandad Khan (2023) Ustad Tafu (2023) Anjuman (2023)