Tanveer Hussain

Tanveer Hussain (1960-2022), better known as Khan Sahib, is a former musician, music director and poet. He was born in Lahore, with his family coming from Jhalandar in Northern India. His maternal uncle or mamoo, Muhammad Qais, specialised in the harmonium, singing and music directing. He was responsible for his early musical education along with Shamshad Bai. He then was taught the harmonium, tabla and singing by Master Akhtar Akkhiyan. His career started in the Androon Shehr playing music with Khursheed Bai. From these humble origins he toured London, Dubai and Singapore. He became a music director and released an album of ghazals, while performing on the harmonium and tabla. He also taught many students including Nasir Ali and Naseeboo Laal. His sight began to fail in his mid-fifties. He then retired, but still played music and composed and wrote poems until his death in 2022.

Tanveer Hussain has been interviewed by Save the Sitar. If you want to check out his interview, which includes a poem that he wrote about the decay of Lahore’s classical music, please visit our post Broken Strings