Prabha Bharti (died 2000s) was a noted Indian qawaali and ghazal singer of the 1960s to the 1990s. She was one of the first women qawwali-singer (qawwal) of India, a form of Sufi devotional music traditionally a reserve of male singers.^[1][2] She is known for her album, "Rang-e-Qawwali" (1978), which features qawaalis, "Chhaap Tilak" and "Mai Ni Mai",^[3] besides album, "Prabha Bharti Ghazal & Qawali" with music by Kesar Singh Narula released by Gramophone Company of India (HMV-EMI).^[4]

Career

When she started her career, she found herself being "taken in more as a prop", however subsequently the trend of female qawwals became popular. Later filmi qawwali in Bollywood started depicting the battle of sexes, wherein male and female qawwal competed against each other.^[2] Born in a Hindu family, she was a sought after singer in Sufi circles, and performed at commercial as well as private venues and shrines.^[5]

At the peak of her career in the 1970s and 1980s, he was a leading qawwal in states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and large cities. She won many qawwali competitions against male qawwals, including Ustad Chhote Ussaf, Nazir Bharati, Afzal Iqbal, and Imam Khan.^[6] She even organized concerts to raise funds for Indian Army soldiers during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.^[6][7] In 1980, as a part of Indian Republic day celebrations, the Indian Council for Public Relation sponsored a series of her performances along with her "party" (group) in Middle-Eastern countries like Dubai, Kuwait, Damascus, Abu Dhabi and Muscat.^[8][9]

She was also performed a few song as a Bollywood playback singer, she flourished during the 1970s and 1980s and remained active till the 1990s. She lived in Andheri, Mumbai, and died in the late 2000s.^[10][11]