Famous Mappilappattu singer Peer Muhammed passed away at the age of 75 at his residence in Muzhappilangad on Tuesday. He was suffering from age-related issues and had been undergoing treatment for paralysis for a long time.
Born on January 8, 1945, in Surandai village near Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu, his mother Bilkis, a native of Tenkasi and his father Aziz Ahmed, was from Thalassery. When he was four years old, he moved to Thalassery with his father.
He studied at Thayathangadi Thalimul Awam Madrasa UP School, St. Joseph's High School, Thalassery and Mubarak High School. He later graduated from Sir Syed College, Taliparamba
Peer Mohammed, who composed music for more than 4,000 songs, has never studied music. His first song was recorded at the age of seven. He played a major role in popularising Mappila songs.
As a boy, he always sang for Thalassery Janata Sangeetha Sabha. The Janata Sangeet Sabha was the largest choir at that time. It is through their stage programs that Peer Mohammed was recognised by people and his fans.
He was an artist at HMV in 1957–90. His father, who was an officer in the Hindustan Lever, arranged the opportunity at the HMV studio in Madras.
In 1976, for the first time in the history of television, Mappilappattu was performed on Chennai Doordarshan. He has performed over a thousand programmes in Kerala and abroad. The song sung by him in the eighties and nineties are still sung by the new generation.
He is a recipient of Kerala Folklore Academy Award, AV Muhammed Award, the Muslim Cultural Center Award, the All Kerala Mappila Sangeetha Academy Award, the Kerala Mappila Kala Academy Award, the Moyinkutty Vaidyar Memorial Award and the Dubai Malabar Arts and Culture Venue Award.
The Burial will be at 4 pm on Tuesday at Valapattanam Manna Cemetery.
