Mumbai: Acclaimed ghazal singer Jagjit Singh died on Monday in Mumbai. The 70-year old was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati hospital after he suffered brain hemorrhage last month. He underwent two surgeries and was on life support.

Born on February 8, 1941, 'the ghazal king' was a singer, composer, activist and entrepreneur. He has sung in several languages including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Nepali. Jagjit Singh entered the music circuit at a time which was primarily dominated by Pakistani ghazal singers, and Indian singers were considered relatively lesser authentic than their Pakistani counterparts.

Unlike other ghazal singers, Singh did not hesitate in lending his voice for films. His silky voice ruled during early 80's in films like Prem Geet, Saath Saath and Arth. However, his major work is spread over more than 60 filmy and non filmy albums.

Jagjit Singh was also known for modern approach and infusion of technology in the traditional art of ghazal singing. Singh was the first Indian music director to use the technique of multi-track recording for his album 'Beyond Time'.

Recipient of Padma Bhushan award, Jagjit Singh was the man behind making the ghazal genre available and understandable to all. Prior to Singh, ghazal singing was considered as an elite art, which was difficult for the common mass to understand due to high class Urdu and Persian.

Jagjit Singh broke this myth by coming up with songs such as 'Kaagaz ki kashti', 'Chaak jigar ke', 'Kal chadhanvi ki raat thi', and 'Shaam se aankh me name si hai'. He mixed the words of legends like Ghalib, Qateel Shifai, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Nida Fazli and Sudarshan Faakir with melodious indigenous tunes and achieved a state where nothing came in between him and his listeners.

Later when television started showcasing music videos, he was among one of the prominent members of the music fraternity to avail the facility. He again came up with brilliant albums such as 'Face to Face', 'Marasim', 'Aaeena', and 'Dil Kahin Hosh Kahin'.

Jagjit Singh had also given his voice for ex-prime minister Atal Bihari Bajpayee poems in the albums 'Nayi Disha' and 'Samvedna'.

Jagjit Singh is survived by his wife Chitra Singh, with whom he had produced several record breaking albums. Their only son Vivek Singh had died in a road accident in 1990

Daily Times sacks Peshawar-based senior journalists sans payment of eight-month salary

Khyber Union of Journalists has strongly condemned the management of Daily Times for sacking two senior journalists from Peshawar office of the organisation without any prior notice or payment of their eight-month withheld salaries.

The organization has not been paying salaries to its employees for the last over two years. The union took up the issue with the management directly and through Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the editor assured the union of clearing all the arrears of the employees, but to no avail.

Due to the worst working condition, decrease in salaries and non-payment of wages, several journalists have already quit the organization. On Saturday Zakir Hasnain, one of the most senior journalists of Peshawar and Maria Tabassum, a senior and committed sub-editor were sacked. Their six-month withheld salaries were also not paid to them.

Arrears to the journalists who have already quit the Daily Times too have not been paid. They include the most prominent cartoonist of the country Zahoor Ahmad, and reporters like Akhtar Amin, Akhtar Ali and others.

President Khyber Union of Journalists Arshad Aziz Malik, general secretary Yousaf Ali, President Peshawar Press Club Saiful Islam Saifi and general secretary Shahid Hameed have asked the management of the Daily Times to review the decision and immediately release the arrears of the journalists. A joint meeting of the union and the press club has been convened to discuss the matter and work out a line of action to ensure protection of the rights of their members.