Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, the famous artist of Indo-Pakistan sub continent is a renowned artist of Kasur Gharana.  Khan Sahib was born in Kasur, a city close to Lahore in Punjab.  He had his vocal music training under the tutelage of his illustrious father, Ustad Ali Baksh Khan Sahib and his uncle, Ustad Kaley Khan Sahib.  The duo was famous artists of Kasur Gharana.  Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan had three younger brothers, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan and Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, and they were artists of a very high caliber on their own accord.  Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ustad Barkat Ali Khan gave a new revival to Indo-Pak Classical and light classical music.  Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali besides being a well renowned artist was an exceptional human being.  He was kind hearted, generous and always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate and needy.  Moreover, he was a man of Sufi tendencies as well.  It would not be out of place to mention that he possessed all the traits of a Sufi and a dervish. 

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahib’s Sufi tendencies were a direct result of his father Ustad Ali Baksh Khan Sahib’s upbringing and blessings of Syed Pir Asghar Ali Shah and his son Syed Chan Pir of Pak Pattan, these two were famous sufi saints of their time.  His greatness, his ‘fakirana dil’ his Sufi-like temperament was evident in all the nooks and corners of his life-style.  You could never find a man as generous or has hospitable.

When it was meal-time and there were many visitors, all had to have their meal with him – he would not have it otherwise.  He got unlimited love from the people of the world and always did only what was good for all who came to him or all whom he came to meet.  He always had kind words and help for all who needed it and a concern for the welfare of all:  peers, younger colleagues, newcomers, pupils, strangers, the rich and the poor.

In an effort to keep up with the tradition of my elders, I have formed Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Memorial Society.  Two of the many aims and objectives of this society are to promote music and service the humanity, and many a projects are already on their way.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Memorial Society was inaugurated in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2005.  The society besides promoting music is also a welfare organization.  One of the objectives of the Society is to promote music in Pakistan and introduce new and upcoming artists on the music scene, and to create awareness, propagate and popularize classical and light classical vocal and instrumental music.   Our mission is to preserve and enhance our music and culture in all its grandeur and glory and hand over to our future generations.  Music is a precious part of our heritage and culture and it gives us our unique identity. Its many varied forms, Khayal, Thumari, Dadra, Folk, Kafi, Geet and Ghazal are representatives of our rich musical tradition.  It is the conservation of culture that ensures the very survival of a nation.  It is important to keep our culture and traditions alive and to pass it on to generations to come, which have been passed on to us by the earlier generations.  It therefore implies a responsibility to those elders and ancestors who have gone before, whose accomplishments make us proud and an accountability to those who are learning to walk by holding our hand.  It is our music culture and thought, in other words, life itself in all is majesty which we have to cherish and develop.

Culture, language, music and heritage are the common property of all the people and it is the expression of a nation that for centuries is involved in a common struggle to advance their existence.  People are faced with a challenge to renew the society which is only possible with participation and collective efforts of all the people.  It requires firm commitment, resolute conviction and immense sacrifice to safeguard and enhance our positive heritage.  Only then, the change is possible.

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Memorial Society has been true to tradition conserving what is best to meet with the needs of times.  In these troubled times, nationally and internationally, tremendous pressure is being exerted on all of us to abandon our tradition of peace and friendship.   Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Memorial Society is a humble attempt to celebrate dignity and honor of our people, their traditions accomplishments and aspirations to affirm the culture and traditions of all and our illustrious ancestors.

The Society organized Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan music conference at Alhamara Hall #1 in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2006, with the collaboration of the Bank of Punjab, Radio FM 103, Pakistan Television (PTV), Alhamara Arts Council, Karvan, PHA, and Kasur Patiala Gharana (KPG).  This was a unique opportunity to bring together and present many of our contemporary artists to present their art to the music lovers as well as the common folk of our society.  Performers included, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Ustad Hamid Ali Khan, Ustad Mazhar Ali Khan, Ustad Jawad Ali Khan, Naqi Ali Khan, Saira Naseem, Humaira Channa, Ustad Ghulam Ali, Tranum Naz, Allah Ditta Loonaywala, Nadeem Abbas Loonaywala and many more.  At that occasion, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Music Awards were also presented to Ustad Mehdi Hasan, Ustad Ghulam Ali (Ghazal singer), Ustad Mazhar Ali Khan and Ustad Jawad Ali Khan, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Music Director Wazir Afzal, Poet Tajamul Hussain, Farrukh Bashir, General Manager PTV, Agha Zuliquar Khan, Program PTV, Allah Ditta Loonaywala, Federal Minister of Culture, G.G. Khan.  Shields were given to Taranum Naz, Saira Nasim, Naqi Ali Khan, Nadeem Abbas, Humaira Channa and others.

This event was made possible with the tireless and endless devotion and dedication of General Secretary of the Society, Naqi Ali Khan and the entire team of many dedicated members of the Society.

Events like this will be held nationally and internationally every year.  It is our hope that this tradition will continue for many, many years to come.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES !!!


   PROMOTE CLASSICAL AND LIGHT CLASSICAL VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.
 
SAVE THIS UNIQUE ART AND MUSIC THROUGH DYING AND HAND OVE TO OUR NEW GENERATION S TO COME.
 
ARRANGE BADE GHULAM ALI KHAN MUSIC CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR.
 
 PROMOTE NEW TALENTS & OPEN MUSIC ACADEMIES
 
ESTABLISH MUSIC LIBRARY  HAVING LOTS OF BOOKS ON MUSIC AND HAVING AUDIO /VIDEO MATERIAL FOR THE PRESENT AND UP COMING GENERATIONS TO COME. 
 
HELP POOR MUSICIANS BY GIVING THEM MEDICAL AID.
 
HELP ORPHAN, DISABLE, CRIPPLE, BLIND, AND DEAF, PEOPLE.
 
ARRANGE MARRIAGES FOR GIRLS WHO BELONGS TO POOR FAMILIES
 
SEND FIVE PEOPLE TO HAJJ EVERY YEAR.
 
HELP WIDOWS BY GIVING THEM SOME FINANCIAL HELP.
 
EDUCATE THE NEW GENERATION WITH THIS UNIQUE AND PRICELESS ART THROUGH TEACHING AND PERFORMING LIVE ON STAGE AND ALSO BY HOLDING MUSIC SEMINARS