Atreyee Poddar
Gauhar Jaan was a legendary singer and dancer, and the first Indian artist to make recordings on 78 rpm records. Her voice and performances captivated audiences, earning her the titles of ‘the Gramophone girl’ and ‘India's first recording superstar’.
Gauhar Jaan is estimated to have recorded over 600 songs in multiple languages, including Hindi, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Arabic, Persian, Pushto, and French.
At the end of each recording, she would famously announce “My name is Gauhar Jaan”, a practice that became her trademark.
She was known to command high fees for her performances, and immensely popular for her artistic value. She used to compose ghazals under the pen-name of Humdum.
Gauhar Jaan had Armenian ancestry, which contributed to her unique cultural background.
She was not only a renowned singer but also a skilled dancer, showing her versatility as a performer.