Legendary Bollywood playback singer Mohammed Rafi deserves the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, his son Shahid Rafi said on Thursday.
Shahid was speaking at an event organised by Mumbai Congress unit president Sanjay Nirupam, vice president Jaiprakash Singh, minorities cell chief Nizamuddin Raeen to mark the 91st birth anniversary of Rafi.
The Congress leaders also demanded that Rafi be conferred with the Bharat Ratna. Asked about his views, Shahid said: “A family friend has taken an initiative on this, we are also trying politically... my dad should get Bharat Ratna, I think he deserves it.”
Read: Rafi is Hindi cinema’s greatest voice
On why Rafi has not been awarded it for so long, he said: “I don’t know what is the reason behind this. It is decided by the government, I will just leave it to destiny whenever it comes we will take it.”
Watch: A playlist of 20 popular songs by Rafi
Rafi took the Indian music industry by storm with his entry as a playback singer in 1941 and never looked back till his death in 1980 at the age of 55. The Government of India honoured him the Padma Shri award in 1967. In 1977, he won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song Kya Hua Tera Waada from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen.
{{/usCountry}}Rafi took the Indian music industry by storm with his entry as a playback singer in 1941 and never looked back till his death in 1980 at the age of 55. The Government of India honoured him the Padma Shri award in 1967. In 1977, he won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song Kya Hua Tera Waada from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen.
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