The “Nightingale of Pakistan,” Guwahati-born Nayyara Noor, is no longer with us. After a brief illness, Noor passed away in Karachi, Pakistan.
At the time of her death, Noor was 71 years old. She had reportedly been receiving treatment in Karachi for a while.
The tragic news was shared by her nephew Raza Zaidi on Twitter, he wrote, “It is with heavy heart that I announce the passing of my beloved aunt (tayi) Nayyara Noor. May her soul RIP.”
Nayyara Noor was not only the representative of the shared culture between India and Pakistan, but she also had ties to the northeast.
Nayyara Noor was actually born on November 3, 1950, in Guwahati, Assam. Her family and her ancestors were merchants. Her father was an active member of the All-India Muslim League.
During Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s visit to Assam prior to the partition in 1947, Noor’s father even hosted him.
Later in 1958, Nayyara Noor migrated from India to Pakistan with her mother and brothers and resided in Karachi. To take care of the family’s holdings, her father remained in Assam up till 1993.
As a live Ghazal singer, Nayyara Noor was well-known for appearing on Pakistani TV programmes and in concert venues throughout the nation.
Nayyara is believed to have been inspired as a young girl by Begum Akhtar’s Ghazals and Thumris, as well as the Bhajans of Kanan Devi and Kamla.
