Iqbal Bano

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Rankings

Covers

Records

Iqbal Bano's achievements are historic. She was the undisputed "Malika-e-Ghazal," a title that recognized her as the queen of the ghazal form. Her performance of "Hum Dekhenge" in 1985 became a landmark act of artistic resistance, and her renditions of Ghalib and Faiz set the standard for generations. She received the Pride of Performance in 1974, and in 2019, a Google Doodle celebrated her 81st birthday, bringing her story to a global audience.

AwardsIqbal Bano received the Pride of Performance award in 1974 from the Government of Pakistan for her outstanding contributions to the arts. In 2019, she was honored with a Google Doodle on her 81st birthday, a global digital tribute celebrating her cultural impact and legacy.

Honours & Distinctions

Malika-e-Ghazal

Critics and fans·1960s

Honorific title meaning 'Queen of Ghazal'.

Pride of Performance

Government of Pakistan·1974

Awarded for outstanding contribution to the arts.

Google Doodle

Google·2019

Global digital honor on her 81st birthday.

Rankings & Lists

Greatest Pakistani Female Ghazal Singers

The News International·2020

Magazine Covers

Dawn

2019-12-28

Icons of the Nation: Iqbal Bano

Records & Feats

First singer to perform 'Hum Dekhenge' publicly during Zia-ul-Haq's ban

Historic First·1985

Iqbal Bano defied the military regime by singing Faiz's revolutionary poem at the Lahore Arts Council in 1985, turning it into a symbol of resistance.