Sanwal esakhelvi biography for kids

As I walked through the gate of the Esakhelvi house in Lahore it felt like I was transported to another space, time and era. I could feel the musical energy all around me. The family name, which has its roots in Mianwali in north-western Punjab, is known to everyone, from long haul truck drivers to more urbane music aficionados. The patriarch of the family, widely known as ‘Lala’, is one of the living legends of the subcontinent.

Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Pride of Performance award in Pakistan and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Queen Elizabeth II. The Guinness Book of World Records also features him, for recording an incredible number of songs, second only to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Now carrying his father’s legacy forward is Sanwal Eskhalevi, a former cricketer and sound engineer working in the UK who returned to Pakistan to hone his musical talent and follow in the footsteps of his childhood inspirations such as Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Tufail Niazi and, of course, his father Attaullah Khan.

The new star on the horizon of music, Sanwal Esakhelvi, talks about his inspirations, his strengths and Pakistan’s rich tradition of folk music

During our conversation, it becomes clear to me that Sanwal would make a fitting global ambassador for fusion music, what with his experimentation in music and having had the same vocal trainer as Amy Winehouse. The future looks bright for this dreamer-cum-singer after his debut on Coke Studio Season 10. Excerpts from the interview follow.

From cricket to engineering to singing … How did that come about?

After an injury while playing cricket in 2001, I continued to play for five more years but then I had to stop and decide. It wasn’t easy. From then on I turned to music.

Is there pressure on you to continue the legacy of the Esakhelvi tradition given that your sister Lariab Atta is an FX animator in Hollywood and your brother, Bilawal, a scriptwriter?

British-Pakistani, singer, musician and songwriter

Sanwal Khan Esakhelvi is a British-Pakistani visual effects supervisor, sound designer, singer, musician and songwriter. Before establishing himself as a singer, Esakhelvi was a professional cricketer until 2006 and has worked in British film industry as a VFX artist and sound engineer. He released his first album Teray Khayal Mein (2017) and debuted as a featured artist in the tenth-season of Coke Studio along with his father.

Personal life

Esakhelvi was born to veteran Saraiki singer Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi, while his mother Bazgha was a renowned actress and his sister Laraib Atta is a professional VFX artist who has worked for several Oscar winning Hollywood films. He also has one brother, Bilawal, who is an actor and director based in London, as well as also being a musician. Esakhelvi graduated from City, University of London in sound engineering when an injury made him quit his professional cricket career, "I was always into sports but then an injury forced music to take over."

Discography

Album

Television

Soundtracks

Coke Studio Pakistan

References

External links

Pakistani folk musician (born 1951)

Musical artist

Attaullah Khan NiaziSIPP (Punjabi:[əˈt̪aːʊˈlaːxaːnnɪaːzi]; born 19 August 1951), known professionally as Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi, is a Pakistani musician, singer, and poet from Isakhel in Mianwali District, Punjab. He is mainly associated with the folk music of Punjab and has written various songs and poems in the Saraiki language.

In 2011, he appeared at Coke Studio (season 4) and sang three songs: Ni Oothaan Waale, and Pyaar Naal.

In September 2017, he appeared again in Coke Studio (season 10) and sang Sab Maya Hai with his traditional band.

Early life

Esakhelvi was born on 19 August, 1951 in Isakhel, in the Mianwali District of West Punjab province of the Dominion of Pakistan (now in Punjab, Pakistan) into a Saraiki-speaking NiaziPashtun family. The Thali dialect is spoken in his family. Attaullah developed an interest in music as a child, but it was strictly forbidden in his home. Despite the restrictions on music in his home, Attaullah secretly sought to learn more about it. His school teacher made him practice the songs by Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh and told him never to stop singing. Attaullah tried to explain his passion for music to his parents and convince them to let him sing, but they forbade him to continue singing. Disillusioned, Attaullah left home when he was 18 years old. He travelled extensively within Pakistan and supported himself by working from Mianwali. He is most popular in rural areas of Pakistan and many other countries in the world.

Musical career

Esakhelvi continued his training after leaving his parents' home and often recorded himself on cassette tapes that he later distributed.

In 1972, Esakhelvi was invited to perform on Radio Pakistan, Bahawalpur. That same ye

“I have received so much love from India and have been accepted here. It was so wonderful to be in Amritsar once and visit the Golden Temple. Common people of both the countries want peace and love,” reflected the singer, who has been a part of Coke Studio with his son.

With more than 50,000 songs and 500 albums to his credit and the recipient of several awards, Attahullah is known for music which is rooted, a part of the landscape of the country, expressing pathos and timeless traditions of folk.

He agrees, his deep voice which reaches people of different walks of life, is suited for songs that talk of pain.

With Mukesh and Kishore Kumar among his favourite singers, the sadness in his voice, says Attahullah, also comes from the many odds and struggles that he went through to realise his dream of being a musician.

It was his English teacher who, recognising his talent, inspired Attahullah to take the less traveled path and follow his dreams fearlessly.

With his family completely against his decision to be a musician, Attahullah had to leave home to pursue his passion, struggle to make ends meet, do odd jobs and continue to learn and train relentlessly. Lovingly called Lala by his fans, Attahullah says talent is a prerequisite for success, as is hard work. “My dard comes from Allah. Struggles make you a stronger and more sensitive person and these are qualities that are reflected in your art and work. Over the years, you develop purity in your work and the pain of all that you have experienced is reflected. To learn music, even several lifetimes are less and the hardships I have faced have helped me to process and polish my talent,” he says.

Performing all over the world, the singer says, when he faces an audience- he sings with abandon, is with himself and is immersed in his own world.

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