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Mehdi Hassan Khan - Emperor of Ghazals

Ghazal  maestro  Mehdi  Hassan  Khan  passes  away in Karachi, Pakistan.



India-born Iconic vocalist and Ghazal legend Mehdi Hassan, the melodious voice behind evergreen hits like 'Patta patta, boota boota' and 'Kab ke Bichhare', died  on Wednesday , June 13, 2012  following multiple organ failure at the age of 84.
Mehdi Hassan, who had  millions of fans in India and Pakistan, had been admitted to the Agha Khan Hospital in the southern port city of Karachi  two weeks back. He was suffering from multiple ailments, including lung and chest infections. His condition worsened on Wednesday morning and he passed away at 12:22 PM.

Hundreds of fans gathered at the hospital on learning of his death.


Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib

Mehdi Hassan Khan (July 18, 1927 – June 13, 2012) was a Pakistani ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Pakistani films. He is famously known as the "King of ghazal", and was highly regarded in the Pakistan film industry. He remained a leading singer of film industry . Mehdi Hasssan died on 13 June 2012 after a protracted illness, in a private hospital in Karachi.

His unique style of presenting Urdu couplets and giving a classical touch to soulful music made him the emperor of ghazals. His silky voice had an enormous range which till date remains unmatched. His mastery over the ragas made him the indisputable master of ghazals in the subcontinent.



 Early life

Mehdi Hassan was born on 18 July 1927 in a village called Luna in Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians.

Mehdi Hassan had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional Dhrupad singers.

 Hassan started to perform at a young age and the first concert of dhrupad and kheyal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla, near present DC House (1935) of Undivided Punjab.

 After the Partition of India, 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships.

Mehdi Hassan  initially started working in Chichawatni, in a bicycle shop. He later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the financial hardships, his passion for music didn not wither and he kept up the routine of practice on a daily basis.

Singing career

In 1957, Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan, primarily as a thumri singer, which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. He had a passion for Urdu poetry, and therefore, he began to experiment by singing ghazals on a part-time basis. He cites radio officers Z.A. Bukhari and Rafiq Anwar as additional influences in his progression as a ghazal singer. Gradually, he became one of the most popular ghazal singers in Pakistan and the neighbouring India.

Following a severe illness in the late 1980s, Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing. Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music.

Death


He had been suffering from a serious lung condition for the few years before his death in 2012. Mehdi Hasan died at around noon on 13 June, 2012 at Agha Khan Hospital Karachi after suffering a 12-year long tenure of lung, chest and urinary tract diseases.

His funeral took place on Friday,Jun 15, 2012.

KARACHI: The funeral prayer of Ghazal King Mehdi Hassan was offered at the Noorani Mosque near the Ancholi area. His funeral was attended by the speaker of the Sindh Assembly, MQM leaders and thousands of his admirers.


Awards

 He had been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions:-



* The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz granted to him by Gen Ayub Khan;

* The Pride of Performance bestowed on him by Gen Ziaul Haq;

* The Hilal-i-Imtiaz conferred by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

* The Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan,

* The Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in 1979,

* The Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award was given to him in Nepal in 1983.


Albums

 Some of his albums are :-

  • Kehna Usey
  • Nazarana
  • Live at Royal Albert Hall
  • Andaz-e-Mastana
  • Classical Ghazals vol. 1, 2, 3
  • Dil Jo Rota Hai
  • Ghalib Ghazals
  • Ghazals For Ever Vol 1
  • Golden Collection Of Mehdi Hasan Vol 1, 2
  • Golden Greats
  • In Concert
  • Khuli Jo Aankh
  • Life Story
  • Live at Khambays
  • Live Concert in India
  • Mehdi Hassan
  • Mehdi Hassan Ghazals Vol 1
  • Sada E Ishq
  • Sarhadein
  • Sur Ki Koi Seema Nahin
  • The Finest Ghazals
  • The Legend
  • Yaadgar Ghazalen Vol 1
  • Tarz(with Shobha Gurtu)
  • Naqsh-e-Faryadi

Ghazals                   


Some of his ghazals are :-
  • Aage Barhe Na Qissa -E -Ishq -E- Butaan Se Hum
  • Aaj Tak Yaad Hai Woh Pyar Ka Manzar
  • Aankhon Se Mili Aankhen
  • Aap Ki Aankhon Ne
  • Aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye (Poet: Faiz Ahmed Faiz)
  • Ab Ke Hum Bichde To Shaayad Kabhi Khwaabon Mein Mile (Poet: Ahmed Faraz)
  • Ae Raushnion Ke Shahr
  • Apnon Ne Gham Diye To Yaad Aa Gaya
  • Bhuuli bisri chand umeedein
  • Chalte ho to chaman ko chaliye
  • Charaag-e-toor Jalao Bada Andhera Hai
  • Dekh to dil keh jaan se uthta hai
  • Dil-E-Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai (Poet: Mirza Ghalib)
  • Dil Ki Baat Labon Par Laakar.
  • Dil Men Toofan Chupae Betha Hon
  • Duniya Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein Jaanat Se Kam Nahin
  • Dayam Pada Hua Tere Dar Pe Nahi Hoon Main (poet: Mirza Ghalib)
  • Ek Bar Chale Aao
  • Ek Bus Tu Hi Nahin Mujhse Khafa ho Baitha (poet: Farhat Shezhad)
  • Ek Sitam Aur Meri Jaan, Abhi Jaan Baqi Hai (poet: Masroor Anwar)
  • Fikr hii thaharii to dil ko fikr-e-Khubaan kyon Na Ho (poet: Josh Malihabadi)
  • Ga Mere Dewane Dil
  • Garmii-E-Hasarat-E-Naakaam Se Jal Jaate Hai.N
  • Gulon Main Rang Bhare, Baad-e-Naubahaar Chale (Lyrics: Faiz Ahmed Faiz)
  • Gulshan gulshan shola e gul ki
  • Guncha-e-Shauq Laga hei Khilne
  • Hamari Sanson Men Aaj Tak
  • Har Dard Ko
  • Hum mei koi ghum nahi tha ghum-e-aashiqi sai pahlay
  • Ik Husn Ki Dewi Se Mujhe Pyaar Hua Thaa
  • Ik khalish ko haasil-e-umr-e-ravaan rehne diya (poet: Adeeb Saharanpuri)
  • Jab Bhi Aati Hei Teri Yaad Kabhi Shaam ke Baad
  • Jab Bhi Chahen Ek Nai Sorat
  • Jab Bhi Pee Kar
  • Jab Koi Piar Se Bulaae Ga
  • Jab Us zulf Ki Baat Chali
  • Jahan Jake Chain
  • Kahan Gai Woh Wafa
  • Khuli Jo Aankh Woh Tha (poet: Farhat Shezhad)
  • Kiya Hei Pyaar Jisse Humne Zindagi ki Tarah
  • Kya Bhala Mujhko Parakhne Ka Nateeja Nikla
  • Kyoon Humse Khafa Ho Gaye Ae Jaan-E-Tamanna
  • Main Hosh Mein Tha
  • Main khayal houn kisi aur ka (poet: Saleem Kausar)
  • Main nazar se pee rha hoon
  • Mohabat Karne Wale
  • Mohabat Zindagi Hai Aur Tum Meri Mohabat Ho
  • Mujhe Tum Nazar Se Gira To Rahe Ho
  • Naavak andaz jidhar diida-e-jaana honge
  • Patta Patta Boota Boota
  • Phuul hi phuul khil utthe
  • Pyaar Bhare Do Sharmile Nain
  • Rafta Rafta Wo Meri Hasti Ka Saamaan Ho Gaye
  • Ranjish Hi Sahi Dil Hi Dukhaane Ke Liye Aa
  • Rim Jhim Ki Barsaat Hai Aur Jaage Huye Jazbaat Hain
  • Roshan Jamal-e-yaar Se Hain
  • Saamne Aa Ke Tujhko Pukara Nahin
  • Sahar Ho Rahi Hai
  • Shikwa Na Kar Gila Na Kar Ye Duniya Hai Pyaare
  • Shola Tha Jal Bujha Hoon (penned by: Ahmed Faraz)
  • Tanha Thi Aur Hamesha Se Tanha Hai Zindagi
  • Tark-e-Ulfat Ka Sila
  • Tere Bheege Badan Ki Khooshboo Se
  • Tere Mere Piar Ka Aisa Nata Hai
  • Toote Hue Khwabon Ke Liye
  • Thah ar Thorri Der To
  • Tu Meri Zindagi Hei (Copied by Nadeem Sharavan in "Ashiqi" Hindi Movie India)
  • Usne Jab Meri Taraf
  • Uzr Aane Mein Bhi Hei Aur Bulaate bhi nahin
  • Wo Dil Nawaaj Hei Lekin Nazar Shinaas Nahin
  • Yaaro Kisii Qaatil Se Kabhii Pyaar Na Maa.Ngo
  • Yun na mil mujhse khafa ho jaise
  • Ye Dhooan Kahan Se Uthta Hei
  • Ye Kaghzi Phool Jaise Chahre
  • Ye Mojazaa Bhii Muhabbat Kabhii Dikhaaye Mujhe
  • Ye Tera Naazuk Badan Hai Ya Koi Mehka Gulaab
  • Yoon Zindagi Ki Raah Mein Takra Gaya Koi
  • Zindagi Mein To Sabhi Pyaar Kiya Karte Hain
  • Zulf Ko Teri Ghataon Ka Payam Aaya Hai
  • Mehadi Hassan also sung Persian/dari Ghazals in Kabul Afghnistan in 1970s.
His unique style of presenting Urdu couplets and giving a classical touch to soulful music made him the emperor of ghazals. His silky voice had an enormous range which till date remains unmatched. His mastery over the ragas made him the indisputable master of ghazals in the subcontinent.




India and Mehdi  Hassan Khan Sahib

Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib  had millions of fans in India. The great singer, till the very end, yearned for his birth country, India. He had last performed in India in 2000 and had planned to visit in 2008 but the trip had to be cancelled . Then in 2010, he had expressed his desire to visit India and meet Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan. But owing to poor health, the singer could not cross the border.


Interesting  facts --


·         In October 2010, HMV released "Sarhadein" in which probably the first and last duet song Tera Milana featuring Mehdi Hassan and Lata Mangeshkar was released. This song was composed by Mr. Hassan himself written by Farhat Shahzad. Mr. Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, and Lata Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010 and later mixed together for a duet.
* Talat Aziz and late Jagjit Singh were his disciples.



Tributes –

*         New Delhi:  Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh today led millions of fans in India in mourning the demise of of Ghazal king Mehdi Hassan, saying he will always have a special place in the world of music.

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*         New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep anguish at the death of legendary Pakistani singer Mehdi Hassan, who died Wednesday after a prolonged illness. She said with his death "we have lost a true cultural ambassador of India and Pakistan".

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*         Mumbai: India's nightingale Lata Mangeshkar, who made a rare collaboration with Mehdi Hassan for a song in an album, remembered the Pakistani ghazal maestro as an 'outstanding singer' and said the news of his death Wednesday has left her upset.

"It is a very sad news. I am really upset ever since I heard this news. Not only me, the entire world loved his songs. There is no doubt about it that he was an outstanding singer," Mangeshkar told IANS.


In 2010, 'Tera Milana', a duet by the two legends was launched as part of an album named 'Sarhadein'. While Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010. It was later mixed together for a duet.

Lata, 82, says they shared mutual respect. "I have shared a very good relationship with him. I really respect him a lot and even he used to respect me a lot. I have met him just two to three times, he was a wonderful human being."

"Gaana ek aisi cheez hai jo sabko nazdeek rakhta hai...Gaanewale hamesha nazdeek ke hi hote hai (Music keeps everyone close, and singers are always close to one another)," added Mangeshkar.

She also took to Twitter to share her emotions and wrote that Hassan "brought an important change in ghazal segment" and that it would be difficult to "find an artist" like him.

"Wo bohot bade shastriya sangeet ke gayak bhi the, aur unke gaane me Rajasthan ke sangeet ki khushboo bhi thi," she wrote and added that he composed songs for her.

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* Mumbai : Superstar, Shahrukh Khan went down the memory lane to recall the time when he was young and listened to Mehdi Hassan's famous Ghazals.

external links : wikipedia

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Shilpa Shetty's son Viaan

 Shilpa and hubby Raj Kundra named him Viaan Raj Kundra.


 Shilpa Shetty smiles as she poses with her husband Raj Kundra holding their newborn baby boy outside a hospital in Mumbai, India, Friday, May 25, 2012. 

"This is Viaan time,” declares Bollywood’s latest yummy mummy Shilpa Shetty, who delivered a baby boy two and a half week ago. On Wednesday, Shilpa and hubby Raj Kundra named him "Viaan  Raj Kundra "

The 36-year-old actress, who gave birth to her first son with industrialist husband Raj Kundra on May 21, took to Twitter to announce the news.


“Hey tweetos, Yes it’s official, Did the naming ceremony today, our son is christened Viaan Raj Kundra. It means ‘Full of life/energy,’” she posted.


Father Raj Kundra also introduced the new born to the micro-blogging site.
“Please welcome Twitter’s youngest user, my son Viaan Raj Kundra. Be nice to him and he may reply,” the proud father said.


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 Clearly motherhood and its side effects, such as late-night feeding and nappy changing, have robbed the actor of
her energy, but Shilpa doesn’t admit it. “How can I? One look at him, and my tiredness vanishes. It’s such an amazing feeling. Viaan is teaching me a lot of things. I really value and respect all the mothers in the world.”

 Describing Viaan’s looks as a mix of Raj and herself, Shilpa says everyone around her predicted her baby would be a boy. “My walk and pregnancy postures apparently indicated that it was a boy! But my Guruji prepared me to welcome a soul into the world, irrespective of gender,” she says. 
“I am very happy with Viaan. But maybe I would have been happier if the baby was a girl. I am very fond of girls,” says Shilpa. 

A London Christmas for Shilpa Shetty's son

Viaan will make his first foreign trip later this year — a visit to his dada and dadi (paternal grandparents) in London. “Currently, his grandparents are here with us. But Viaan will go to London in the winter to celebrate his first Christmas there,” says Shilpa. 


courtesy : Hindustan Times

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Congratulations !

Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra blessed with a baby boy

Shilpa Shetty gives birth to a baby boy

Monday, May 21, 2012, 10:16 [IST]

Actress Shilpa Shetty gave birth to a healthy baby boy at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical Hospital in suburban Khar today early morning. Husband Raj hospital in Khar, Mumbai. Shilpa's husband Raj, who is on the seventh heaven with the baby's birth, took to the twitter to break the news.



Raj Kundra wrote on twitter, "God has blessed us with a beautiful baby boy. Both mother and baby are fine. I am thrilled to bits!!!!!!" He also thanked his wife and the hospital staff, "A big thank you to my wife @TheShilpaShetty for the bestest gift ever, DR Kiran Cohelo and all the staff at Hinduja Hospital.

It has been reported that the entire family was present at the hospital to celebrate the happy occasion. Shilpa, who was heavily pregnant with her first child, has finally got into the league of Bollywood's hot new mommies.

Says a source close to Shilpa, "The baby and mother are doing fine. Shilpa's husband Raj Kundra was by Shilpa's side from the beginning till the time she was admitted till her delivery at the break of dawn. It was only after he saw the baby that he finaly left home to go and rest. Raj and his family and Shilpa's entire family, including mother Sunanda and sister Shamita, were present. Dr. Kiran Coelho delivered the baby at a healthcare hospital in Khar. Though 36-year-old Shilpa was due any day on Sunday she had gone for a normal check up but the doctors admitted her immediately as the contractions had begun."

The actor has been married to Raj Kundra ,the London-based businessman for three years now and this is their first child.
Shilpa-Raj are also the owner of IPL team Rajasthan Royals. Although their team didn't make it to top four this year, the couple has a great reason to rejoice.

It has been only two days that Shilpa has given birth to a baby boy. But, an ecstatic mommy couldn't stop naming her lovely son right after his birth. The 36-year-old actress tweeted, "Can't believe am a mother now! Ecstatic is an understatement. Thank you so much for
all the good wishes and love all of you have bestowed us and Baby 'K'."

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Shilpa Shetty is Pregnant
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Shilpa has confirmed she is pregnant with her first child with businessman husband, Raj Kundra.




Congratulations are in order for Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty and hubby Raj Kundra. After weeks of speculation, the actress confirmed that she's expecting her first child via Twitter on Saturday (December 10,2011), telling fans:


"Tweetos, 'YES'an addition 2 r family is r confirmation 2 all queries:) We seek blessings from all in this very beautiful phase of our lives."
Good wishes for the couple have already started pouring in on Twitter.


"SO happy 4 my friend @TheShilpaShetty and her husband Raj, for the new, on the way, angel of happiness," posted Shilpa's good friend, actress Raveena Tandon.


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Shilpa Shetty flaunts her baby bump at Kiran Bawa's Lohri party
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Friday, January 13, 2012.






Shilpa Shetty, who is pregnant with her first child with husband Raj Kundra made a public appearance on Wednesday. Shilpa flaunted her baby bump at the Lohri pre-celebrations, hosted by good friend and business partner, Kiran Bawa at a suburban venue in Mumbai.


Shilpa Shetty had been avoiding parties and over crowded places ever since she became pregnant. However, the actress turned entrepreneur was seen on January 11th with hubby Raj Kundra at the Lohiri celebrations hosted by Kiran Bawa.


Shilpa Shetty looked extremely elegant, dressed in a gorgeous off-white anarkali. Shilpa's baby bump was extremely evident and her face glowed. Shilpa, who is actively into yoga is taking good care of herself and eating healthy.




Shilpa Shetty baby bump | February 27, 2012






Shilpa Shetty spotted with baby bump at Dheeraj Deshmukh's wedding
A seven-month pregnant Shilpa Shetty was spotted at Riteish Deshmukh's younger brother Dheeraj's Sangeet ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Santa Cruz, Mumbai on February 26, 2012.


Shilpa wore a bright colour anarkali suit and looked very pretty in it as she walked in with her husband Raj Kundra at the sangeet ceremony.


This is going to be Raj Kundra's second child. Earlier he was married to Kavita, he has a daughter named Deleena Kundra.
When asked about his second child, Raj Kundra said that they never tried to find out the sex of the baby. “We are happy and just want to have a healthy baby; the sex of the baby is irrelevant. I am looking forward to becoming a father.”


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Shilpa at Dheeraj and Deepshikha Deshmukh's Reception Party








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Shilpa and Raj Kundra's Marriage
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The 34-year-old actress-turned-businesswoman, who became a popular face in Bollywood with films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Baazigar, Dhadkan and Life...In A Metro, married Raj Kundra in 2009.








Shilpa Shetty weds millionaire businessman in lavish Hindu ceremony




Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, best known for winning the British version of television show Celebrity Big Brother, married in a lavish ceremony in western India today.


The 34-year-old was clad in a red sari and diamonds and emeralds as she exchanged vows with London-based businessman Raj Kundra in a close-knit family wedding in Khandala, a hill resort near Mumbai.


Friends, family and showbusiness colleagues attended the Hindu marriage and all-night celebrations, including her father, who discovered he was ill with two types of malaria just two days before the ceremony.


The groom wore a maroon sherwani with golden embroidery and a turban with his face veiled by a sehra (string of pearls). He arrived at the ceremony in a two-horse chariot.


'Everything went very well. All parents want their children to get married happily and that goes the same for Shilpa's parents as well. They are very happy,' said Kiran Bawa, Shilpa's friend and business partner, after the wedding.








Sunday's wedding was the climax of the two-day festivities that included a sangeet ceremony on the Saturday night.


The Indian actress became famous outside of her home country when she won the reality TV show in 2007 after being subjected to allegedly racial comments from fellow contestant Jade Goody.


She met Raj after her win on the British reality show.


She has not broken through into major film roles, but she has remained one of Bollywood's most talked-about and photographed figures.


'This is it!' she wrote on her blog early Sunday, describing how her life had 'been turned upside down, inside out in the past week as the marriage is nearing.'






'All is in order, friends and family have got together,' she said, adding that she looked forward to meeting fans under her new name 'Shilpa Shetty Kundra'.


With her acting career stuck in slow gear, the actress has turned entrepreneur -- launching perfume brands, filming yoga videos and investing in restaurants and health spas.








Our best wishes are with them.




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Oprah Winfrey



Oprah Winfrey [born Orpah Gail Winfrey (given name changed to Oprah); January 29, 1954] is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled ('The Operah Winfrey Show ') multi-award-winning talk show , which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was for a time the world's only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.


Early Life

Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to an unmarried teenage mother Vernita Lee (born c. 1935),who was a housemaid

After Winfrey's birth, her mother traveled north and Winfrey spent her first six years living in rural poverty with her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee ,in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Her grandmother was so poor that Winfrey often wore dresses made of potato sacks, for which the local children made fun of her. Her grandmother taught her to read before the age of three and took her to the local church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her ability to recite Bible verses.

Her world changed for the worse at age six, when she was sent to Milwaukee to live with her mother, who had found work as a housemaid. In the long days when her mother was absent from their inner city apartment, young Oprah was repeatedly molested by male relatives and another visitor. The abuse, which lasted from the ages of nine to 13, was emotionally devastating.

After giving birth to a baby boy who died in infancy, she went to Nashville, Tennessee to live with her father.Vernon Winfrey was a strict disciplinarian, but he gave his daughter the secure home life she needed. He saw to it that she met a curfew, and he required her to read a book and write a book report each week. "As strict as he was," says Oprah, "he had some concerns about me making the best of my life, and would not accept anything less than what he thought was my best." In this structured environment, Oprah flourished, and became an honor student, winning prizes for oratory and dramatic recitation.


At age 17, Oprah Winfrey won the Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant and was offered an on-air job at WVOL, a radio station serving the African American community in Nashville. She also won a full scholarship to Tennessee State University, where she majored in Speech Communications and Performing Arts. Oprah continued to work at WVOL in her first years of college, but her broadcasting career was already taking off. She left school and signed on with a local television station as a reporter and anchor.

 ' The Oprah Winfrey Show '

In 1976, she moved to Baltimore to join WJZ-TV News as a co-anchor. There, she co-hosted her first talk show, 'People Are Talking', while continuing to serve as anchor and news reporter. She had found a niche that perfectly suited her outgoing, empathetic personality. In January 1984, she was invited to Chicago to host a faltering half-hour morning program on WLS-TV. In less than a year, she turned 'AM Chicago' into the hottest show in town. The format was soon expanded to an hour, and in September 1985 it was renamed ' The Oprah Winfrey Show'.


A year later, The Oprah Winfrey Show was broadcast nationally, and quickly became the number one talk show in national syndication. In 1987, its first year of eligibility, the show received three Daytime Emmy Awards in the categories of Outstanding Host, Outstanding Talk/Service Program and Outstanding Direction. The following year, the show received its second consecutive Emmy as Outstanding Talk/Service Program, and Oprah herself received the International Radio and Television Society's "Broadcaster of the Year" Award. She was the youngest person ever to receive the honor.

Films
* By the time America fell in love with Oprah Winfrey the talk show host, she had already captured the nation's attention with her poignant portrayal of Sofia in Steven Spielberg's 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple. Winfrey's performance earned her nominations for an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress.


* Critics again lauded her performance in 'Native Son', a movie adaptation of Richard Wright's classic 1940 novel.

* In 1998, she produced and starred in the feature film Beloved, adapted from the book by the Nobel Prize-winning American author Toni Morrison.

* In 2005, she produced a film adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, with a screenplay by Suzan-Lori Parks. The same year, she produced a successful Broadway musical version of The Color Purple. As an actress, she has been heard in a number of successful animated films, including Charlotte's Web, Bee Movie and The Princess and the Frog.

Production

Her love of acting and her desire to bring quality entertainment projects into production prompted her to form her own production company, Harpo Productions, Inc., in 1986.

Today, Harpo is a formidable force in film and television production, as well as magazine publishing and the Internet. In 1988, Harpo Productions, Inc. acquired ownership and all production responsibilities for The Oprah Winfrey Show from Capitol Cities/ABC, making Oprah Winfrey the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show.

The following year, Harpo produced its first television mini series, 'The Women of Brewster Place', with Oprah Winfrey as star and Executive Producer.

It was quickly followed by the TV movies 'There Are No Children Here' (1993), and 'Before Women Had Wings'(1997), which she both produced and appeared in.

Since the 1990s, Oprah began to emphasize spiritual values, healthy living and self-help, and her program became more popular than ever.

She initiated a campaign to establish a national database of convicted child abusers, and testified before a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of a National Child Protection Act.

President Clinton signed the "Oprah Bill" into law in 1993, establishing the national database she had sought, which is now available to law enforcement agencies and concerned parties across the country.

Her influence over the publishing industry exploded when she began her on-air book club in 1996. "Oprah Book Club" selections became instant bestsellers, and in 1999 Winfrey received the National Book Foundation's 50th anniversary gold medal for her service to books and authors. She herself has authored five books. A proposed book on weight loss, to be co-written with her personal trainer, has received a publisher's advance fee reported to be the highest in history.




She now publishes two magazines, O, The Oprah Magazine, and O at Home. The launch of her first magazine was the most successful start-up in the history of the industry. When Forbes published its list of America's billionaires for the year 2003, it disclosed that Oprah Winfrey was the first African-American woman to become a billionaire.

 Social Service and Charity


* The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls - South Africa is a girls-only boarding school that officially opened in January 2007 in Henley on Klip near Meyerton, south of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was founded by Oprah Winfrey to provide educational and leadership opportunities for academically gifted girls from impoverished backgrounds in South Africa.

* With her success, she has also become one of the world's most generous philanthropists. In 2000, Oprah's Angel Network began presenting a $100,000 "Use Your Life Award" to people who are using their own lives to improve the lives of others.
Since the 1990s, Oprah began to emphasize spiritual values, healthy living and self-help, and her program became more popular than ever.

She initiated a campaign to establish a national database of convicted child abusers, and testified before a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of a National Child Protection Act.

President Clinton signed the "Oprah Bill" into law in 1993, establishing the national database she had sought, which is now available to law enforcement agencies and concerned parties across the country.

Politics


In the 2008 presidential election, Winfrey publicly endorsed a political candidate for the first time, hosting a fundraiser for Senator Barack Obama and appearing with him at campaign events. It is widely believed that her support was crucial to his winning the Democratic nomination -- and the Presidency itself.

Latest plans

* In 2008, she also announced plans for a new broadcasting venture with the Discovery Health Channel, to be renamed Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

* In a 2010 interview on the Larry King program at the end of that year, she announced her decision to end her run on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The final broadcast took place on May 25, 2011, after 24 seasons and over 5,000 broadcasts.

* She now hosts a nightly program,'Oprah's Lifeclass', on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Personal  Wealth

Oprah Winfrey makes her principal home on a 42-acre ocean-view estate in Montecito, California, just south of Santa Barbara, but also owns homes in another six states and the island of Antigua.


The business press measures her wealth in numerous superlatives:--
* the highest-paid performer on television,
* the richest self-made woman in America,
* and the richest African-American of the 20th century.

More difficult to calculate is her profound influence over the way people around the world. She has been rightly called "the most powerful woman in the world."

Awards  and  Recognition

* In 1987 Oprah received the International Radio and Television Society's "Broadcaster of the Year" Award. She was the youngest person ever to receive the honour.

* In 1998 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

* Oprah Winfrey was named one of the "100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century" by Time magazine.



* President Clinton signed the "Oprah Bill" into law in 1993, establishing the national database she had sought, which is now available to law enforcement agencies and concerned parties across the country.

* Her wide-ranging philanthropic efforts were recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2011 with a special Oscar statuette, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

* According to Forbes list of America's billionaires for the year 2003,  Oprah Winfrey was the first African-American woman to become a billionaire.

LIST OF PERSONS SHE INTERVIEWED


Michael Jackson , President Barak obama and First lady Michelle Obama, George W.Bush, Nelson Mandela,Sidney Poitier, Maya Angelon, Tina Turner, Salma Hayek, The Dalai Lama, Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. Mehmet Oz., Elie Wiesel, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are some of the persons she intrviewed.


Oprah  and India


  
Oprah Winfrey: India is 'greatest show on Earth'

On a visit to Jaipur, India, Oprah Winfrey called the country "the greatest show on Earth" in an interview with CNN sister network CNN-IBN.
"What I've learned is, you can't see India in a week," Winfrey told the network in an interview airing Sunday. "You can't see India in two weeks ... India is so complex, I would have to say it's the greatest show on Earth. I've never seen anything like it. India, I'll be back again and again."
Oprah Winfrey landed in Mumbai this week, where she brought traffic to a standstill as fans waited eagerly for a glimpse of the celebrity talk show host. Oprah is in India to film a segment of her new show, "The Next Chapter," staying at The Taj Mahal Palace at Colaba.

Jaipur Literature Festival: Oprah Winfrey charms 'chaotic' India

JAIPUR: Amid raucous cheers from thousands of admirers, television superstar Oprah Winfrey praised the contrast of calm and chaos in India at the annual Jaipur Literature Festival which is fast becoming a global cultural gala.


* At the Jaipur Literary Festival Oprah got a standing ovation as she walked in for a session. As crowds surged to enter the venue, with many of them stopped despite valid entry tickets, a poster sticking out told the story: "I have waited for 10 years to get a minute of your time."
* At the Jaipur LitFest, the talk show queen tells NDTV's Barkha Dutt that had she got married, she would have got divorced by now. "Because I really am my own woman," she says.

Oprah visited the Bachchans 


The most talked about moment of her trip was a visit to the home of Bollywood mega-stars Aishwarya Rai and Amitabh Bachchan.  Bollywood mega-stars Aishwarya Rai and Amitabh Bachchan introduced two-month-old Beti B to Oprah Winfrey, when she visited their Indian home on Tuesday.
Excited Amitabh Bachchan, who drove Oprah from her residence to the party, tweeted, "The gracious Oprah Winfrey visits our home, to meet us and bless the baby...warm hearted, endearing...drive her to the party in her honour. And Oprah in sari..looking lovely!!"

Oprah at the party



Later they attended a glittering party hosted in Oprah Winfrey's honor by Parmeshwar Godrej at her residence in Mumbai.


At the party Oprah was surrounded by Bollywood celebrities. India Today reported that amongst the glitterati were Imran Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Anupam Kher, Shilpa Shetty with hubby Raj Kundra, Lara Dutta, Neha Dhupia, Dino Morea, Sameera Reddy, Kalki Koechlin,Preity Zinta, Hritik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor and Kangna Ranaut. Oprah looked the part in an orange and gold sari.

 Pregnant Lara Dutta seemed to be very excited to meet Oprah. On her Twitter page, the ecstatic actress posted a picture of her with Oprah and Shahrukh and wrote, "@Oprah and @iamsrk, two people I absolutely adore! Thankyou for making my day! Now can go into labour happily!”

Posting a picture with Oprah, actress Neha Dhupia, says, "With @Oprah .... She is oh so charming." "Tonight was dinner at the Godrej House with Oprah Winfrey. Nice to see her wear a beautiful Sari. Also nice to see Ash out after so long!," actress Priety Zinta said.

Actress Sameera Reddy also tweeted, "My God! Oprah Winfrey is the warmest most down to earth person I have ever met! What a personality! I'm thrilled!"

Oprah seemed very curious to know about the Hindi film industry. She mingled with the entire film fraternity present there.


Oprah visited The Taj Mahal


US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey,
on her maiden visit to India, visited the Taj Mahal.

External Links : Wikipedia, Rediff.com.

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