Mohammed Rafi, Indian Playback Singer

Considered as one of the greatest and most influential singers of India, Mohammad Rafi was distinguished for his versatility and range of voice. He received four Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award. In 1967, he was honored with the Padma Shri. He recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and in many Indian languages as well as some foreign languages, though primarily in Urdu and Punjabi, over which he had a strong command. He recorded as many as 7,000 songs throughout his career, spanning several languages and dialects.