"My father has been ill for the last 12 years and has multiple lung, chest and urinary tract ailments which were being treated by the specialists," Arif said. The legendary Mehdi Hassan was born in a family of traditional musicians at Luna village, Rajasthan, in 1927. His family migrated to Pakistan after 1947.
Mehdi Hassan, who has inspired thousands of fans and followers by his melodious voice in subcontinent, cut back on his performances in late 80s due to illness. He was acknowledged as one of the most successful Ghazal singers of the sub-continent and loved by the Ghazal lovers across the globe.
Mehdi Hassan learnt the classical music from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and his uncle Ustad Ismail Khan, both well respected classical musicians. Shenshah-e-Ghazal tried different styles of music and there was a time when without his voice a production was thought incomplete. Due to his remarkable artistic excellence, he was titled Shahenshah-e-Ghazal (The King of Ghazal). He also played the role of a cultural ambassador and visited India several times.