Master Kartar Chand – veteran singer of ‘Pahari’ music

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: Hailing from the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, Master Kartar Chand is a unique name in ‘Pahari’ music.

Born blind, he studied at the only school for the blind in Jammu. Later, he pursued a degree in music.

Every person has some ability or characteristic that makes them unique from others. Many people are born with disabilities or later become physically disabled due to an accident but they never let the disability stop them from achieving success.

There are thousands and millions of such examples in this world and such people are the ones. There are lessons and motivation for people. One such name is Master Kartar Chand.

His inclination towards music was from his student days. He performed in many music competitions and earned himself accolades in J-K and Punjab.

He is also a top radio artist.  All India Radio FM Station Poonch, All India Radio Srinagar, Doordarshan Srinagar, and Doordarshan Jammu have recorded hundreds of his songs which are broadcast every day during Pahari and Gujri programmes.

In the year 2005-06, the Poonch Rawalkot route between Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Jammu and Kashmir was opened, so one of his mountain songs ‘Gadi i Rawalkot Mein Jasaan Ga, Uthah Busne Mahde Rishtedar Mil Keh Aasan Ga’ became very popular.
Master Kartar has been singing for some fifty years.

No literary and cultural event in Rajouri, Poonch is complete without the melodious voice of Master Kartar Chand.  He established an organization called ‘Saraswati Sangeet Kala’ to teach music to the youth interested in music in Poonch, which is still functioning today.

He also produced many singers and musicians in Poonch under the banner of this association.

Master Kartar works as a teacher in a few departments of school education but unfortunately, there is no music subject in any educational institution in Poonch.

“I want music to be introduced as a subject in schools in Poonch district so that from the beginning the youth are interested in it, they study it,” he said.

“Apart from this, there should be a music institute as its formal adjunct,” he added.
Master Kartar Chand has sung hundreds of Pahari folk songs which are often hummed by Pahari tribal people on the occasion of marriage.

He further said that Pahari music is very unique and needs to be promoted at the national level. He said that many Bollywood films have also included Pahari music tunes.

Master Kartar Chand, visually impaired, has ruled the hearts of millions with his melodious voice and is an inspirational personality.