Did you know Pankaj Udhas wanted to become a doctor? Had said he is the general physician of his family

Pankaj Udhas

Ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas passed away on February 26 after suffering from prolonged illness, his family has said in a statement. The singer was known for his soulful ghazals and playback singing in films. He was one of the most popular ghazal singer in the country and will always be remembered for his immense contribution to the field of music.

But did you know he did not always want to become a singer? His initial ambition was to become a doctor and had said that he is the general physician of his family. Speaking to Mid-day in an interview some years ago, the singer had said, "Many people feel that I dreamt of becoming a singer from my childhood days. But that's not true. I wanted to be a doctor. Trust me, I was preparing for it in right earnest. But then, I became a singer and my dream remained unfulfilled. But I am still passionate about medicine and medical science. I stay updated with all the new developments in the field. In fact, I am a self-proclaimed 80 per cent doctor and the general physician of my family."

In the same interview, the maestro also talked about his passion for cars. "I am a sucker for cars. Cars have always made me go nuts. My dad was a government employee and had a jeep. He would never allow me to even go close to it, as it was his prized possession. My dad gifted me a bicycle to make me happy, but I still had this dream for cars. The first thing I bought my earnings was a car. My first car was a Fiat 1951 model. I am very attached to it till date. Even though I own cars in newer models, I still take that old car out for a ride once in a while. Driving is my biggest stress-buster," he had said.

Born in Jetpur, Gujarat, Udhas was the youngest of three brothers. His parents were Keshubhai Udhas and Jituben Udhas. His eldest brother Manhar Udhas achieved some success as a Hindi playback singer in Bollywood films. His second elder brother, Nirmal Udhas, was also a well-known ghazal singer. Udhas started his career with the release of a ghazal album titled 'Aahat' in 1980 and subsequently recorded many hits like 'Mukarar' in 1981, 'Tarrannum' in 1982, 'Mehfil' in 1983, Pankaj Udhas Live at Royal Albert Hall in 1984, 'Nayaab' in 1985 and 'Aafreen' in 1986.