210) Commemorating the 100th Birth Anniversary of Begum Akhtar (07.10.1914 – 30.10.1974): A Rs100/- & Rs.5/- Proof coin set issued in 2014 by the Kolkata Mint:

210) Commemorating the 100^th Birth Anniversary of Begum Akhtar (07.10.1914 – 30.10.1974): A Rs100/- & Rs.5/- Proof coin set issued in 2014 by the Kolkata Mint:

Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, popularly known as Begum Akhtar:

Her name was Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, but she is popularly known as Begum Akhtar.

She was born on 07.10.1914 in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh into a family which belonged to the upper class of Society which had hardly any inclination towards music.

She developed an interest in music when she was around seven years of age and listened to the music of Chandra Bai, who was an artist attached to a touring theatre group. Thereafter, she herself received training from the well known sarangi player – Ustad Imdad Khan and was later trained in Hindustani Classical Music by Ata Mohammad Khan of the Patiala Gharana and Abdul Wahid Khan of the Kirana or Kairana gharana, as well as from Ustad Jhande Khan Saheb.

Her first public performance was at the age of fifteen. The audience was so moved by her voice that she gained instant recognition, thereafter there was no looking back for her and she became a famous Indian singer of Ghazal, Dadra and Thumri genres of Hindustani classical music.

She was among the first few female singers to give a public performance, which was a break from singing in “mehfils” (meaning “private gatherings”).

Sarojini Naidu, an eminent poetess in her own right, praised and complimented her for her singing style at a concert organised to help the victims of the Nepal-Bihar earthquake in 1934.

She became a famous Ghazal singer and was given the epithet “Mallika – e – Ghazal” (meaning “Queen of Ghazals”).

Her first recording was done by the Megaphone Record company who were instrumental in releasing many gramophone records with her melodious Ghazals, Thumris, Dadras etc.

In the 1930s she also acted in several films including “Ameena” (1934), “Mumtaz Begum” (1934), “Jawani Ka Nasha” (1935), “Naseeb Ka Chakkar” (1935), as well as, “King for a Day” or “Ek Din Ka Baadshah”(1933), “Roop Kumari” (1934), “Nal Damyanti” (1933) and “Anaar Bala” (1940).

Like many other film heroines of that age, she sang her songs for her films herself and continued acting for several years.

Nevertheless, although she was endowed with good looks and a sensitive voice and she was an automatic choice to become a singing heroine, but, her first love was always Indian Classical music.

Her supreme artistry in light classical music had its origins in the tradition of pure classicism. She chose her repertoire in primarily classical modes – a variety of Ragas ranging from simple to complex.

She moved back to Lucknow after a while, where the renowned Director Mehboob Khan approached her for a film titled “Roti”. The movie was released in 1942 in which Begum Akhtar had sung six Ghazals. The film which was released with only two of her ghazals due to some copyright disputes, and became extremely popular with her songs taking the industry by storm.

She married a barrister Ashtiaq Ahmed Abbasi in 1945 and did not sing for almost five years as her husband did not favour her singing for films and in public.

Later, in 1949, she returned to her favourite passion of music and singing and sang three Ghazals and a Dadra at the All India Radio (AIR) Lucknow Station. Thereafter, she became a regular performer at the Lucknow Radio Station.

She continued to give public performances and to sing in concerts and recorded songs for two films – “Daana Paani” (1953) and “Ehsaan” (1954). Her last movie recording was in Satyajit Ray’s film “Jalsaghar”.

She performed her last in a concert in Ahmedabad, India and was taken seriously ill during the performance. She passed away on 30.10.1974, a day after the performance.

Her tomb was built in her home “Pasanda Bagh” in Thakurganj area of Lucknow.

Prominent Awards & Legacy:

For her contribution to the field of music and its enrichment, she was awarded the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan (posthumously) in 1968 and 1975 respectively.

She also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for vocal music in 1972.

Several books have been written on her “In memory of Begum Akhtar (1979), “Great Masters of Hindustani Music” (1981), “Begum Akhtar : The Queen of Ghazals” (2005), “Begum Akhtar: The story of my Ammi” (2005), “Begum Akhtar ; Love’s Own Voice” (2009) etc.

Her recorded songs are still cherished today by music connoisseurs. Her style of singing was inimitable and unique and extremely difficult for other singers to emulate. Most of her compositions were self composed and based on Ragas. She has nearly 400 songs to her credit.

 I remember that she also lived in a house on Havelock Road, Lucknow, for several years where my aunt was a neighbour.

The Commemorative coins issued on the occasion: 
Kolkata Mint has brought out a two–coin commemorative set for this occasion. A Rs.100/- coin together with a Rs.5/- coin have been released both as Proof and Circulating coin sets.
I have received the two coin proof commemorative coin set from the Kolkata mint yesterday:

The above image is that of the cover of the two-coin Proof set album, showing a portrait of Begum Akhtar.  Mentioned on the cover is “COMMEMORATIVE COINS” on the upper periphery and “BEGUM AKHTAR KI JANMSHATI” (in Hindi/Devnagri) and BIRTH CENTENARY OF BGUM AKHTAR” (in English) and the years “1914-2014”. To the bottom right is a tag indicating that this is a “Proof set”.

 The Obverse faces of the 2 coins showing their denominational values Rs.100/- and Rs.5/- as the coins appear on the coin album.

The specifications of these two coins are as under:

a)   The Rupees 100 coin:

Shape: Circular; Diameter/size: 44 mm; No. of serrations: 200; Weight: 35 gms; Metal composition: Quaternary Alloy (silver: 50%, copper: 40%, nickel: 5%, Zinc: 5%).

b)   The Rupees 5 coin:

Shape: Circular; Diameter/size: 23 mm; No. of serrations: 100; Weight: 6 gms; Metal composition: Nickel Brass (copper: 75%, zinc: 20%, nickel: 5 %,).

 The Reverse faces of the two coins (Rs.100/- and Rs.5/-) as they appear on the coin album. There is a portrait of Begum Akhtar with the Peripheral inscription “BEGUM AKHTAR KI JANM SHATI” (in Hindi/Devnagri) and “BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEGUM AKHTAR” (in English) and the years 1914-2014. 

Obverse of the Rs 100/- Rupees coin showing the Lion Capitol in the top centre with the words “Satyameva Jayate” (Truth Always Prevails) in Hindi/Devnagri inscribed below it, below which is the denominational value of the coin “Rs.100” preceded by the rupee symbol. On the left periphery is the name of the country “Bharat” (in Hindi/Devnagri) and on the right periphery is mentioned “India” (in English).

 Reverse of the Rs 100/- (Rupees One hundred and fifty) coin showing a portrait of Begum Akhtar. On the upper periphery of the coin is mentioned the inscription “BEGUM AKHTAR KI JANM SHATI” (in Hindi/Devnagri) and on the lower periphery is mentioned “BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEGUM AKHTAR” and below her portrait are mentioned the years “1914-2014”. Notice the scratches which are clearly visible on this face of the coin.

This kind of poor work/quality control is least expected from the Kolkata Mint, particularly in Proof Coin sets which is the oldest mint in India functioning since the times of the East India Company.

Obverse of the Rs 5/- (Rupees five) coin showing the Lion Capitol in the top centre with the words “Satyameva Jayate” (Truth always prevails) in Hindi/Devnagri inscribed below it, below which is the denominational value of the coin preceded by the rupee symbol. On the left periphery is the name of the country “Bharat” (in Hindi/Devnagri) and on the right periphery is mentioned “India” (in English).

 Reverse of the Rs 5/- (Rupees five) coin showing a portrait of Begum Akhtar. On the upper periphery of the coin is mentioned the inscription “BEGUM AKHTAR KI JANM SHATI” (in Hindi/Devnagri) and on the lower periphery is mentioned “BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEGUM AKHTAR” and below her portrait are mentioned the years “1914-2014”.