Gauhar Jaan was an Indian singer and dancer from Calcutta.
She was one of the first performers to record music on 78 rpm records in India and released by Gramophone Company of India.
Gauhar's first performance was at the courts, in what is today called Bihar, in 1887
Gauhar was born on June 26 in 1873, and her birth name was Angelina Yeoward. Her father was Armenian and her mother Victoria Hemmings was an Indian by birth. After her parents' divorce, Victoria moved to Benaras with a Muslim nobleman and the then eight-year-old Angelina accompanied her mother there.
Both mother and daughter converted to Islam when in Benaras. Victoria changed her name to Malka Jaan and Angelina's name was changed to Gauhar Jaan. Malka became a noted singer and Kathak dancer in Benaras.
Some years later, the mother-daughter duo moved to what was then called Calcutta where Gauhar began to train as a Hindustani classical musician. Soon, she also became accomplished in Kirtan and Rabindra Sangeet, among other musical forms.
Source:TOI
