Biography
Begum Akhtar, born Akhtaribai Faizabadi, was the most celebrated exponent of ghazal and light-classical singing in twentieth-century India, earning the title 'Mallika-e-Ghazal.' Born in Faizabad, she trained under Ustad Jhande Khan and later received guidance from Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan of the Kirana gharana. Her renditions of ghazals by Mirza Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz achieved a perfection where music and poetry became inseparable, and her thumris in Bhairavi, Kafi, Khamaj, Pilu, and Bageshree were equally celebrated. She was awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Her influence on ghazal singing is so profound that every subsequent female ghazal singer has been measured against her standard.
This biographical summary is based on commonly available sources and is presented with respect. Details may vary across references.