Mohammed Rafi fans throng singer’s village in Amritsar on his birth centenary

People pay tributes to singer Mohammed Rafi at his native village of Kotla Sultan Singh near Amritsar on Tuesday, December 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

“He continues to live in the hearts of millions of his fans,” says Om Prakash, who travelled from Jammu to visit his favourite singer Mohammed Rafi’s birthplace in Kotla Sultan Singh village near Amritsar on his birth centenary on Tuesday.

Mr. Prakash is among the many admirers to make the annual pilgrimage to the legend’s village, but this time was special as it marks the 100th birthday of the music icon, who is regarded as one of India’s most celebrated voices.

Mohammed Rafi

“Rafi saheb ’s songs are as popular today as they were when he was alive,” he said.

Besides Mr. Prakash, there was 80-year-old Adarsh Kumar Pruthi who travelled from Delhi along with his wife to pay tributes.

“I had this great desire to visit Rafi saheb ’s village on his 100th birth anniversary. It feels so good to be here,” Mr. Pruthi said.

Over 50 Rafi fans, who came from different parts of the country, cut a cake in his memory and mingled with the locals.

Village elder Hardeep Singh, 82, took it upon himself to guide the tourists around the place where Rafi’s old house once stood. Mr. Singh’s grandfather bought the land from the singer’s family years ago.

Many fans also gathered near his statue in the village to pay floral tributes and visited the school where Rafi studied.

Rafi started singing by imitating the chants of a fakir in his village. But his first public performance came when he turned 13, when he sang a K.L. Saigal song in Lahore.

In 1944, Rafi moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in singing and made his playback singing debut in Gaon Ki Gori , which released the next year.

He later went on to lend his voice to Bollywood stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shammi Kapoor, Dharmendra, Dev Anand and Rishi Kapoor, in his career as a successful playback artiste.

He has numerous hit songs to his credit, including several duets with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Working with music directors like Naushad, O.P. Nayyar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and R.D. Burman, Rafi delivered evergreen tracks such as Yeh duniya yeh mehfil , Chura liya hai tumne , Ohaseena , Tumjo mil gayeho , Chaudhvin ka chandho , Shirdi wale Saibaba and Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai .

Rafi died in Mumbai on July 31, 1980, from a heart attack.