[5][6] Shamshad Begum was born in Lahore, British India (present-day Pakistan) on 14 April 1919[9][10] the day after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in nearby Amritsar.

[11] Shamshad Begum started singing at weddings and social events at age 12 despite family objections where her father insisted that she wear a 'burka' during her initial recordings and not be photographed.

[7][10] In 1932, the teenage Shamshad came in contact with Ganpat Lal Batto,[7] a Hindu law student who lived in the same neighbourhood and who was several years older than her.

Indeed, while Shamshad Begum was both an outstanding singer and a successful famous one, she was at some deeper level always a wife and mother first, someone who instinctively prioritised her family over her career.

By nature, she preferred to keep away from the public glare and from business dealings, taking the view that it was rather unseemly for a lady to be involved in such things.

In 1931, when she was twelve, her uncle, who enjoyed qawwalis and ghazals, secretly took her to Jenophone (or Xenophone) Music Company for an audition with Lahore-based musician and composer, Ghulam Haider.

Begum said in an interview, "I sang Bahadur Shah Zafar's (the poet-ruler) ghazal Mera yaar mujhe mile agar."

It was Begum's paternal uncle Aamir Khan who convinced her father, Miyan Hussain Baksh, to allow her to sing.

Xenophone was a renowned music recording company, patronised by the rich, and her popularity grew in elite circles in the early 1930s.

Though she had won the Xenophone audition without having any formal music training, Hussain Bakshwale Sahab and later Ghulam Haider improved her singing skills between 1937 and 1939.

Shamshad Begum sang for AIR through her musical group 'The Crown Imperial Theatrical Company of Performing Arts', set up in Delhi.

[14] The then AIR Lahore helped her to enter the world of movies as they frequently broadcast her songs, which induced music directors to use her voice for their films.

When Haider moved to Bombay in 1944, Begum went with him as a member of his team, leaving behind her family and staying with her Chacha (paternal uncle) Aamir Khan who used to encourage her in her singing career.

Naushad acknowledged in an interview that he was indebted to Begum in reaching the top, as she was famous before he became known in the late 1940s; after his tracks sung by her became highly popular, his talent was recognised.

Although Burman started composing Bengali music in 1937, he achieved national fame with tracks sung by Begum in Hindi films.

In 1949, came Shabnam, in which Burman asked her to sing duets named "Pyar Main Tumne" and "Kismat Bhi Bhichadna" with Mukesh, which became popular.

[16] Begum had met Nayyar during her radio stint in Lahore, when he worked as an office boy delivering cakes for the lead singers.

He worked with her until the late 1960s and gave her many hit songs, including "Ab To Jee Hone Laga" from Mr. & Mrs. '55, "Main Jaan Gayi Tujhe" from Howrah Bridge, "Zara Pyar Karle" from Mangu, "Saiyan Teri Ankhon Mein" from 12' O Clock, "Thodasa Dil Lagana" from Musafirkhana, and many others.

Milte Hi Aankhen Dil Hua Deewana Kisi Ka from Babul (1950) had a romantic duet with Talat Mahmood, acted by Dilip Kumar and Munawar Sultana, which also became popular.

Begum promised at this time that she would sing songs composed by Mohan once he started his career as a music director and would accept a lower fee.

She later recorded duets with Kumar, including "Gori ke Nainon Mein Nindiya Bhari" from Angarey and "Meri Neendon Me Tum" from Naya Andaz.

She was the lead singer for many films like Taqdeer, Humayun, Shahjehan, Anokhi Ada, Aag, Mela, Patanga, Babul, Bahar, Jadoo, Aan and more.

The first song she sang after returning to her career was "Pee Ke Ghar Aaj Pyari Dulhaniya Chali" for Mother India.

She made a successful comeback, and subsequently recorded many notable songs for films such as Howrah Bridge, Jaali Note, Love in Simla, Bewaqoof, Mughal-e-Azam, Bluff Master, Gharana and Rustom-E-Hind.

Even Asha Bhosle's songs like her first duet with Kishore – "Aati Hai Yaad Humko" from the 1948 film Muqaddar bear direct resemblance to Shamshad Begum's style.

"[23] Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, "She was an artist of extraordinary talent and abilities, and the songs she has left behind in her long career, which she started with AIR in 1937, will continue to enthral music lovers.