Google Doodle honours Mehdi Hassan on his 91st birthday

Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan would've turned 91 today and to mark the maestro's birthday Google honoured him with a doodle.

Wearing what the world remembers him in; a dark waist coat over cream coloured shalwar kameez, Mehdi Hassan's doodle sits with his harmonium, surrounded by candles and his music.

Mehdi Hassan's contribution to Pakistani film music was second to none. He lent his voice to more than 300 films and it is said that in all he sang more than 5,000 songs

Proof, if proof be needed, is that he won as many as eight Best Playback Singer Nigar Award trophies, a figure even Noor Jehan could not match. His solos include such immortal numbers as 'Mujhe tum nazar se gira to rahe ho', 'Ik naye mod per le ayen hai halat mujhe', 'Yoon zindagi ki rah pe takra gaya koi' and 'Pyar bharay do sharmeelay nain'.

He belonged to the golden era of film music in the subcontinent. Top music directors of Pakistan’s film industry felt honoured and privileged on getting their compositions sung by Mehdi Hassan.

The Pakistani singer passed away in June 2012 after battling a decade-long illness.