Mehdi Hassan, the India-born Pakistani ghazal maestro, passed away at a Karachi hospital Wednesday after a prolonged illness. He was 84.

Listen Mehdi Hassan’s Top 10 Gazzles

His first break came in 1957 when he got the opportunity to sing a thumri number for Radio Pakistan. The number got him instant recognition in the musical fraternity and he got more offers to sing.

The veteran not only sang beautiful ghazals but also rendered his voice to several film numbers in Pakistan. Many feel that the 60s and 70s were dominated by Hassan and his style of ghazals.

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