ISLAMABAD: Renowned music composer, considered one of the pioneers of subcontinent film music Ghulam Ahmed Chishti also known as Baba Chishti was remembered on the occasion of his death anniversary on Monday.

He was born on August 17, 1905, in Jalandhar in his childhood, Chishti became fond of music and delivered na`ats at his school. He was later noticed by a stage play director Agha Hashar Kashmiri when Chishti came to Lahore in 1934. Agha Hashar Kashmiri was a well-known writer and playwright whose works were praised throughout the Indian subcontinent and would occasionally compose songs for theatres.

Kashmiri hired Chishti to assist him with his work and offered him a salary of 50 rupees per month. Under Kashmiri’s influence, Chishti began learning the intricacies of the music industry and trained with him. Upon Kashmiri’s death, Chishti joined a recording company and began composing on his own. Amongst his first records were those for Jaddanbai and Amirbai Karnataki before partition.

Chishti had introduced Noor Jehan to the Lahore stage when she was 9 years old in 1935. Noor Jehan had continued working with Chishti after his later migration to Lahore. He started his career composing music for the films with Deen-o-Dunya in 1936. Once he got some recognition, he was offered to compose music for L. R. Shori’s film Sohni Mahival in 1938. He became known for his compositions both in Urdu and Punjabi languages.

In Chishti’s career, things took a drastic turn for the better, after the independence of Pakistan. He decided to migrate to Pakistan in 1949, where the film industry was reeling in its infancy. The new industry was at the mercy of learned musicians and filmmakers and lacked funds to compete with the imported Indian films. Chishti offered his services as a musician to the Pakistani film industry.

Due to a shortage of talent in the music industry, it is reported that Chishti had to compose music for three films at the same time in 1949. His initial compositions for Sachai, Mundri and Pheray (1949) were simultaneously produced.

He was hired by the pioneer Pakistani film producer Nazir Ahmed Khan to compose music for his film Pheray. Upon its initial screening, Pheray (1949) became a blockbuster hit and earned plaudits for the composer. It is reported that the six songs in the film were written, composed and recorded in a single day. [1] Later in 1955, the Punjabi film Pattan (1955) came along and became a musical hit film for Baba Chishti. Pattan (1955) boosted his career and he became a well-sought-after music director by the film producers after the box-office success of this film.