Mohd Rafi’s 84th Birthday To Be Celebrated as National Integration Day
This information is shared by Mr. Binu Nair
Patriotic songs of Mohd Rafi, Mahendra Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar and Hemanta Kumar will be sung LIVE by Rafi Centric singers along with a band of musicians from the Rafi Foundation on the occassion of Mohd Rafi’s 84th birthday celebrations on Dec.24th at Bandra’s Rafi Mansion – the late singer’s residence. Rafi lovers from different parts of the country will mark the day as National Integration Day and will hold Live Musical Shows at 12 Indian cities according to Mr.Binu Nair, founder, Rafi Foundation in Mumbai. We will honour all our music legends not just Mohd Rafi says the avid Rafi fan and music lover.
The legion of followers of eternal singer Mohd Rafi is part of folklore and the Rafi Foundation serves as an umbrella organisation for Rafi lovers and smaller Rafi groups to come under a common platform and celebrate the maestro’s music.
The music programme will begin at 11.00 a.m. on Dec. 24th at Rafi Mansion, Bandra West. Please Contact Mr.Binu Nair, Rafi Foundation at cell +91-98332-50701.
Mohd Rafi was the No one male playback singer for more than two decades in an illustrious singing career of forty-one plus years. At age 13 Rafi became a radio star and at age 17 he sang his first song : “Soniye ni, heeriye ni, teri yaad saataaye ” in Punjabi. He became a household name first with the number : Yahan badla wafa ka, bewafaee ke siva kya hai , along with Noor Jehan and then with the overnight composed number after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, “Suno, suno ai duniwaale, Bapu ji ki amar kahani” composed by Husanlal Bhagatram and penned by Rajendra Krishan.
Rafi struggled for more than five years, walking the streets of Mumbai from studio to studio for work along with friend Hamid Bhai often with very less money or no money at all, never losing his resolve. Rafi continued with his rigorous riyaas and his prayers.
Composer Naushad Ali soon became his mentor and he was signed for the musical Baiju Bawra – where all his songs were runaway hits. The unstoppable era of of Naushad-Rafi-Shakeel had begun and a series of hit songs and movies followed. Soon Rafi was the most sought after singer for every actor and star of the day.
Bhajans, ghazals, naata, qawaalis, nazms, soft romantic numbers, bhajans, bhangaras, heers, classical and melancholy numbers, running-around-trees numbers – all became his natural forte. Different styles and modulated voices for different actors made him indispensable and small time actors climbed the ladder of succes through Rafis hit songs.
How many songs did he sing with the Mangeshkar sisters?….. With Lata the nightingale Rafi sang 447 duets and with younger sister Asha – it’s a surprise. He sang more than double the number and the exact figure is 903 songs.
Apart from singing maximum number of evergreen melodious songs, Rafi will be remembered for slashing his singing fees to a token of Rupee One, for producers with financial constraints. More, Rafi never even charged a rupee as his “royalty fees” for his songs. He was content with his recording fees and felt that he had no right over the royalty, which rightly belonged to the producer.
In the history of performing arts there would perhaps be no luminary other than Rafi who voluntarily gave up on his royalties.
True to his song “Tum mujhe yun bhula na paaoge“, Mohd Rafi lives on through his enchanting numbers. The Rafi Foundation has appealed to the government to honour Mohd Rafi with the Bharat Ratna Award for his role in national integration and for his contribution to the cause of Indian Music.
The music programme will begin at 11.00 a.m. on Dec. 24th at Rafi Mansion, Bandra West. Please Contact Mr.Binu Nair, Rafi Foundation at cell +91-98332-50701.
Resp.Binu sir,Namaskar,Two years back when i contacted after Hon’ble Rafi Sahab’s musical nite.I was requested to you pl.give me a chance to sing a Rafi sahab’s song in your programe,you assured me )when you were going to Bangalore to arrange a prog there)remember?Its again my request to you for the same.Pl.listen at least my voice,you may reject me if it is not suiting to you choice.waiting for your reply.I am 54 years age now,Since my early age I am A Rafi fan.God bless to Rafi Sahab.In 2-3 centuries One Rafi sahab borns.regards-Pranab
Every man dies, but a few lives on. That is Rafi Saab.
May God Bless him.
Musharraf
the Rafi Foundation is a no-profit organisation now having many units at many many places.
our aim is to have about 200 rafi foundation units worldwide, within a short span of time. this is our sole and only aim.
we repeat, we do not want anything in return – for the love of rafi saaheb. we only want his “immortal songs” to travel – far and wide for there is life and breath for many of us , in these immortal songs.
we at rafi foundatiion believe that we are not asking for too much from rafi lovers of the universe. we have nothing to lose but the fragrance of everlasting mystique of rafi saaheb numbers.
Please correspond at : binus2000@hotmail.com or on mobile : + 091-9833250 701
In our near city we celebrated Rafi saabs 84 th birth day under the guidence of Rafi foundation led by mr. Ahamed bhai on dec 24th of this year-2008
pmc thangal
In our near city we celebrated Rafi saabs 84 th birth day under the guidence of Rafi foundation led by mr. Ahamed bhai on dec 24th of this year-2008
Post 11 : mr sunnychourse : on 14th feb, at Pune there is the inaugural mohd rafi concert at s.m.joshi hall. Please call me for the invitation.
binu nair, cell 9833 250 701
rafi foundation, mumbai.
Dear Mr.Nair
I wish could have join u on this occasion for every music lover’s favourite singer.After 28yrs he is still with us as ever he was and will be.
Plz keep up your good work, God bless you
Happy Birthday Mohd Rafi Sahab.
As long as the world is here you will never be forgotten.
Khalid Rashid
UK
any program i pune?
Happy Birthday : Mohd Rafi Saaheb from the millions of fans around the world. you are with us – always and always.
long live mohd rafi saaheb.
binu nair, rafi foundation, mumbai, binus2000@hotmail.com
it is celebration time for the music lovers in general and rafi fans in particular. city after city is playing host to a number of programmes on 24th dec or day or two in advance or later commemorating the 84th birth anniversary of the king of playback singing of all times. in hyderabad too there is a programme at gandhi bhavan called the yaad-e-rafi and on 25th dec 2008 the rafi foundation, hyderabd chapter is celebrating the event at a picturesque locale (dhola-ri-dhani) to present some of the liveliest of songs of rafi sahab in all their splendor. observing the day as the day of national integration, binuji, is very very apt in the present times and i must congratulate you for thinking on these lines. the best of patriotic flavour emanated from so many songs of rafi sahab that they are played on every 15th aug, 26th jan and 2nd oct throughout the country.
Sangeetvishwa says
Thanks to people like Binu Nairji and other rafi fans who share so much info about Rafisahab.I am a frequent visitor to this website.Our best wishes to Binuji and to Rafi foundation for the great work that they are doing.
Rafisahab will alaways remain alive in the hearts of millions of people through his 27000 songs he sung during his career spanning 40 years
SUSHIL BAGAL.
24th December marks the 84th birth anniversary & birthday of our beloved King of Melody – Mohammed Rafi
Tumhare mehfil ko sajane ke liye hamne chune hai chand khoobsoorat se phool yaadon ke,
Aap ne kya kuch nahin diya hame, kya kuch nahin sunaya hame,
Hum soch soch kar dub gaye ke hum nachij kya pesh kare aapkee tarif me,
Mehfil sunee hogayee aapke achanak yoon chale jane se,
Kahan se laye woh raunak aapkee adaonkee, aur kashish aapke pyaree awaj kee,
Kahan talash kare hum aapko hamare is budhee umrame,
Mehfile khamosh aur soonee hogayee,
Dhondte rahe hum aapko is bedard duniya me, ke woh talash aaj aur abhi bhee jari hai,
Raat ke sannate aur andheron ko chheerti huyee ek khubsoorat see awaj goonjteee hai
Aur kahtee hai !!!
Mehel udhas aur galiyan sunee chup chup hai deeware, dil kya ujda duniya ujdee rhoot gayee hai bahare hum jivan kaise goojare
Tareef karoon kya uskee jisne tumhe banaya
Pyar bhara dil aur meethee zuban
Kya hum aapko yoon bhula payenge
Happy Birthday Dear Rafi Saab !!!
a non-Indian from France, Paris, writes thus in an sms to me……
Mr.Nair, I am sending you this message from Paris/France, first of all to congratulate yoou for the creation of the Rafi Foundation and also for hosting a National Integration Day on Rafi Saaheb’s 84th birth anniversary.
I am a Rafi fan and I want to be a member of the Rafi Foundation.Kindly let me know of the procedures and I will be happy to fulfill them. I am not an Indian, but this will give you an idea how great Rafi Saaheb was as with his sweet voice he could touch even people in far away lands and cultures.
This shows you how great he was and will always be. For me , Rafi saaheb has never gone, he is and will always be with us. People can come and go but rafi sahab will always remain….. Now, this celebration should be an opportunity to remember that hindus and musims are brothers and will always remain so inspite of the evil-doers who are trying to create enemity between them. Kindly respond.
from mr. d.b.
my reply has not been carried so please write to me on : binus2000@hotmail.com
the above lenghty sms shows – the world loves mohd rafi saaheb. thanks for the interest/support.
binu nair, mumbai… +91… 98332-50701 , rafi foundation
wounderful job mr binnu ,my best wishes and god bless you,
jai rafi saheb…………
m happy to hear that u r celebrating saheb’s b’day in rafi mansion.. n i would like to inform u all m gng to celebrate saheb’s b’day at rafi darshan{ i.e. my hme} .. tcccccccccc.. koi nazaran leker aaye hai pujari aapke liye.. happy b’day to rafi saheb in advance…
4m ,
umesh makhija{pujari}
for the love of rafi saaheb – mohd rafi lovers are requested to attend the small get-to-gether, taking time out of their everyday schedules.
also, mark the day with rafi saaheb songs at various places in tandem with rafi lovers and music lovers.
this must be xeroxed each year – for the love of music and for immortal rafi saaheb.
binu nair, mumbai rafi foundation, binus2000@hotmail.com
dear sir,
welldone sir keep it up.pls describe rafi saab more and more,thanks
We all join hands with Mr Binu Nair and on behalf of the Rafi Foundation request the Government in honouring the Legend Mohammed Rafi for confering on him the prestigious Bharat Ratna Award for his immense contribution in the field of Music