Mohammed Rafi by Sujata Dev

Born in 1924 at kotla Sultan Singh, a village near Amritsar, Mohammed Rafi, nicknamed pheeko was the second youngest of hajji Ali Mohammed and Allah rakhi’s six sons. He started singing early, deeply inspired by the songs of a wandering fakir, in the village. In the 1920s, circumstances compelled rafi’s father to move to Lahore where he opened a small dhaba. Rafi’s elder brother, Mohammed Deen, started a barber shop in no or Mohalla, Bhatti GATE in the same city, with Rafi lending him a helping hand. Meanwhile, Mohammed deen’s friend, Abdul Hameed recognised rafi’s talent and encouraged him to sing. Later, he convinced the reluctant family to allow him to take Rafi to Bombay. In 1944, The two arrived in an alien city from where Mohammed Rafi slowly won over the heart of an entire nation. Mohammed Rafi: Golden voice of the silver screen is the authorised biography of one of India’s most beloved singers.