Kanwal Kishore Jalla—an Unsung Ghazal Singer from Kashmir

• Appeal to Readers: Help in discovering our unsung heroes

Throughout history, there have been countless individuals whose remarkable contributions have been overlooked, overshadowed or forgotten. These unsung heroes, often marginalized due to one reason or the other, have made significant impacts on society, yet their stories have remained largely untold.  Such unsung heroes even exist in Jammu and Kashmir and very few are aware of their contribution—for the reason that nothing has unfortunately been written about them.

It is time to shine a light on these overlooked figures, acknowledging their invaluable contributions and ensuring their place in the annals of history. Kashmir Rechords has decided to find such unsung heroes who have been marginalized but deserve recognition for their resilience and contributions to their communities and beyond.

Kanwal Kishore Jalla, a noted singer from Kashmir is one such unsung hero who has remained underrepresented in historical records. Despite frantic efforts by Kashmir Rechords and approaching so many individuals, nothing much could be known about this unsung hero, except the fact that he was an acclaimed singer on the panel of Radio Kashmir, since 1959 until 1983 when his Ghazals/songs were frequently broadcast there.

When Jalla was mistaken as Dev Anand

Noted Broadcaster and former Secretary J&K Cultural Academy, Dr Rafeeq Masoodi recalls that  during his headship of Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, he used to listen to Ghazals sung by K K Jalla. “After that never heard him… perhaps I was shifted to Delhi or maybe I am not now in regular touch with radio’’, says Dr Masoodi.

He recalled an anecdote  of 1986 when three legends—Bhajan Sopori, Vijay Malla and Ghulam Nabi Sheikh  had assembled in Studio- 06 of Radio Kashmir Srinagar along with  Kanwal Kishore Jalla for some composition. “At  the  first  sight I thought he ( Jalla Ji )  is Dev Anand Sahab as his hair style, shirt ,tie(knot)  and  tight trousers  that too Yellow, looked like him only. But when I heard them speaking Kashmiri, I was  later told by  Bhajan ji  about Kanwal Kishore Jalla’’, recalls Dr Masoodi, while comparing Jalla Ji’s  singing style with that of  Talat Sahab .

Kanwal Kishore Jalla had also sung some patriotic songs particularly during 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars. After migration, it seems, he had abruptly gone into oblivion and nothing is further known about this singer.

Kashmir Rechords thus appeals to all its esteemed readers, who might be knowing about this unsung hero to contact us with authentic details and send the same on kashmirrechords@gmail.com or support@kashmir-rechords.com. The readers may also forward the same message/write-up to their acquaintances in other groups/social media platforms so that further information is obtained to update story on this unsung hero from Kashmir.

Bringing attention to these overlooked figures is crucial in reshaping historical narratives and acknowledging the diverse tapestry of human achievement. By amplifying the stories of these unsung heroes, we honour their legacies, inspire future generations, and strive for a more inclusive and accurate understanding of history. It is imperative that we actively seek out, celebrate, and preserve the stories of those who have been marginalized, ensuring that their contributions are no longer consigned to the shadows of history.

Readers can also share stories about similar unsung heroes with Kashmir Rechords. We promise to publish them with due credit to the contributors.