Jalal Chandio (Late)

Jalal Chandio s/o Haji Faiz Muhammad Chandio born in 1944 at a village near Phull, District Naushahro Feroze. His father had cattle farms since he did not get interest in study. Therefore, his father sent him Nawan Jatoi  Town to learn tailoring however due to his interest in singing since childhood, he left tailoring  and came back to his home without learning tailoring and started grazing cattle where he was also singing with cattle.

Due to his interest in singing, his parents sent him Ghotki City for learning music under teachings of Ustad Ali Gul Mahar, where he started singing at shrines of different sufis of the area. His had sung so loudly that he had not needed for loudspeakers as well as his surprising style of “Yektaro and Chapri” was unique which was liked very much. Subsequently, he released his first cassette album from “Paras Audio Cassette” during 1970 in a stage when there was shortage of local Sindhi singers. In this album, his song “هل نه مٺو ايڏي لوڏ ڪري“ became very famous amongst Sindh and he acquired popularity and became an unsung  singer of  province. He performed in many festivals in Sindh as well as aboard which rustled into his entry in Radio and Television.

During 1985, film producer and director Shah Asad offered him for preparing film in Sindhi Language on his life with his acting as leading character, which he accepted. On releasing of the film, it earned the largest fame and business in Sindhi film industry.

He released thousands of audio albums as well as thousands of songs during lifetime. Though, he was unschooled, but he had memorized his own songs. Jalal Chandio was titled as king of Sindhi singers as he boosted Sindhi music almost in the world when open media was rare. He had also possessed kind and humble qualities. He had sung in unnumbered marriage festivals of poor families without receiving his fees moreover, it is learnt that he had given his own buffalo to an old lady which was stolen from her house.  Jalal Chandio was spiritual follower of Mahdi Shah. He had son on Urs of almost all the saints but he had performed more on the urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. He received many awards out of which, Sindh Government, Culture Department recognized his part in singing and awarded him “Latif Award”. He had married twice however, there is no information regarding his kids.

During beginning of 2000, he became ill due to kidney failure and got admitted in Liaqat National Hospital Karachi; from he got discharged after one month treatment. During his admission in hospital, then Culture Secretary Hameed Akhond supported him and provided a TV for seeing cricket in his hospital room. During the month of Dec 2000, he felt pain again in his kidney and he was shifted to Hyderabad later shifted to SIUT Karachi for proper medical treatment. Doctors advised that he is suffering in last stage due to kidney failure and he is needed blood on daily basis. Resultantly, he expired on 10 Jan 2001 at about 1030 hours at SUIT Karachi. He was shifted to his hometown Phull and buried in Phull Town, District Naushahro Feroze as per his desires.