Kalashuri Mohideen Baig’s 20th death anniversary

Text & Pic. Ruzaik Farook

Kalashuri Mohideen Baig was born in the Salem District of India in December 1919. Baig was a well-known singer throughout the country. He sang in Sinhala, Tamil and Urudu.

Baig’s brother who was a police officer died in an accident at Colombo during British times and Baig’s family were invited to Ceylon by the British Governor. He took to singing from the age of 13. He contributed more than thousand songs in all languages specially Islamic songs in praising the Holy Prophet Muhammad during a period of 55 years.

Baig was trained by a family member of the famous Urudu singer Sheik Ameer and Sheik Fareed.

He was a confident artiste and was spotted by late Prof. Mohamed Ghouse who trained so many of the leading singers.

Haji Baig sang in popular programmes such as Perani Rasanga and Amaraneeya Geetha. In 1940, at the beginning of the Sinhala film industry he became a playback singer in Sinhala films.

His film songs are well over six thousand.

He was liked and appreciated by all the communities and he was awarded the title of Kalashuri by late President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

He died at the age of 72 years on November 4, 1991. By his death the country lost a great singer.