Dharmendra’s first wife, Prakash Kaur Biography: Wikipedia, Children, Age & Net Worth

Prakash Kaur is a name every student of Punjabi music eventually learns. Born in Lahore in 1919, she became one half of a sibling duo that brought rural Punjabi folk songs into mainstream recording studios and radio stations.

Her contribution to Punjabi music is not just measured in melody — it’s measured in cultural change: she helped bring women’s traditional songs out of private spaces and onto public platforms.

Early life and background

Prakash Kaur was born on 19 September 1919 in the walled city of Lahore, then part of British India. She grew up in a Punjabi-Sikh household where the sounds of local singers, wedding Rababi women and folk melodes were part of daily life. This early exposure shaped her musical sensibility and inspired her to practice and mimic established singers from a young age. Being the elder sister to Surinder Kaur, Prakash often mentored and introduced her younger sibling to the radio studios, which proved decisive for both their careers.

How she began — radio and recordings

By the early 1940s Prakash Kaur had secured approval to sing on Indian radio — a major achievement for a woman from a conservative musical landscape. Her first professional performance took place on Peshawar Radio in 1941, and in August 1943 she recorded a duet with her sister that would mark the beginning of a storied partnership. The sisters were soon regulars at All India Radio in Lahore and later Delhi, where the “sister-duet” style of singing captured listeners’ imaginations.

The partnership with Surinder Kaur

Prakash Kaur and Surinder Kaur became a celebrated duo. While Surinder would later be widely known as the “Nightingale of Punjab,” it was Prakash who laid much of the groundwork: introducing Surinder to radio, shaping duet arrangements, and establishing the emotional and stylistic tone of many songs. Their recordings for labels such as His Master’s Voice (HMV) made Punjabi folk songs accessible to urban and diasporic audiences for the first time. Together they recorded poignant duets that fused village storytelling, religious ballads, and women’s domestic songs into a new commercial idiom.

Musical style and repertoire

Prakash Kaur’s repertoire centered on Punjabi folk — ballads about love and separation, wedding songs, heroic ballads and seasonal tunes. She was also known to sing religious and devotional numbers, and even explored regional forms such as Pashto folk song variants. Her voice carried the clear diction and rustic warmth that made folk lyrics feel immediate and lived-in. She and her sister often worked with accomplished music directors of the time to give rustic songs polished studio arrangements while keeping their folk soul intact.

Notable recordings and legacy songs

Some of the recordings that remain associated with Prakash Kaur and her sister include classic Punjabi duets recorded for HMV and performed on All India Radio. These tracks preserved songs that had existed only in village oral tradition and brought them to a national audience, ensuring their survival and repeated reinterpretation across generations. Many of those recordings have been repackaged in modern compilations and streaming collections, keeping Prakash Kaur’s voice alive for new listeners.

Role in changing the role of women in Punjabi music

In a period when professional music was overwhelmingly male-dominated, Prakash Kaur — with Surinder Kaur — smashed cultural expectations. They were among the first women from Punjab to be accepted and promoted by mainstream record labels and radio broadcasters. This not only changed the musical industry but also encouraged a generation of Punjabi women singers to think beyond home-based performance and seek public careers. Contemporary articles and retrospectives credit the sisters with pioneering and popularizing Punjabi folk music across India.

Later years and passing

After decades of performances and recordings, Prakash Kaur passed away on 2 November 1982. Her death marked the end of an era, but her songs continued to circulate on radio, records, and later digital platforms. Reissues and compilations have kept her legacy visible; historical write-ups and music history pieces frequently point to her influence in shaping mid-20th century Punjabi music.

Influence on modern Punjabi music

The template Prakash Kaur helped craft — recording folk songs in studios, performing them on national radio, and giving women a public voice — is visible in today’s Punjabi music scene. Modern folk revivals, female singer-songwriters, and the retention of village themes in pop music all trace a line back to the work done by Prakash and her collaborators. Musicians and historians continue to cite the sisters as foundational figures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: When and where was Prakash Kaur born?

A: Prakash Kaur was born on 19 September 1919 in Lahore, then part of British India.

Q: Who was Prakash Kaur’s famous sibling?

A: Her younger sister was Surinder Kaur, who also became a legendary Punjabi singer. The two recorded many successful duets together.

Q: What style of music did Prakash Kaur sing?

A: She primarily sang Punjabi folk songs — wedding songs, seasonal ballads, devotional pieces — and helped popularize them outside village settings.

Q: Did Prakash Kaur record for major labels?

A: Yes. The sisters recorded for prominent labels such as His Master’s Voice (HMV) and were regular performers on All India Radio.

Q: When did Prakash Kaur die?

A: Prakash Kaur passed away on 2 November 1982.

Conclusion

Prakash Kaur’s voice is a bridge between village tradition and national music platforms. Through radio broadcasts, studio recordings and the powerful duet partnership with her sister Surinder Kaur, she helped preserve and popularize Punjabi folk music for generations to come.

Her life is a case study in how artists can transform cultural practice while honoring its roots — and why remembering pioneers matters in music history.