Mohideen Baig

Born on 5 December 1918 in Salem South India as the third of the family, Baig belonged to an Indian tribe called Pathan.

Baig's paternal lineage is descended from a pro-Islamic lineage with a centuries-old history.

His father Kareem Baig served as a police officer in Salem.

Bijan B was his mother.

He was educated at a school in Salem and received his primary education in music from several music teachers in Salem particularly talented in singing Urdu and Qawali songs.

Kareem and Bijan were the parents of fourteen children, three of whom died in infancy.

Kala Suri Alhaj Kareem Mohideen Baig (මොහිදින් බෙග්, محي الدين بيك; 5 December 1919 – 4 November 1991), popularly as Mohideen Baig, was a Sri Lankan musician.

One of the most influential singers in Sinhala music, Baig is known particularly for his Buddhist devotional music.

He is a Muslim who moved to Sri Lanka from Salem in Tamil Nadu, but of a Hyderabadi Muslim origin.

He was considered a highly influential multicultural figure in the country's arts history.

Baig is the first award winning citizen of Sri Lanka.

Baig came to Ceylon in 1931.

During this time, Baig's grandfather, Halaldine worked for the Grandpass police and Mohideen's older brother, Aziz worked for the Harbor police.

He returned Sri Lanka (then as Ceylon) due to untimely death of his brother Aziz by a boat accident in 1931.

At the age of 18, Baig joined the Sri Lanka Army.

In 1932, Beg was fortunate to sing on Gramophone disc produced by Columbia Records.

His first recorded song is Karuna Muhude Namu Gilila sung with K. K. Rajalakshmi at the age of 18.

He was a Grade A Singer of the Radio Ceylon who had the ability to singing songs in about four languages.

Baig was married in 1947 to his own cousin, Sakina Baig.

They had 8 children, which include 5 sons – Usman, Haider, Mubarak, Ishaq and Ilyas; and 3 girls –

Rabia, Salima and Moina.

His two sons, Ishaq and Ilyas are popular singers who continue the father's legacy.

In 1947, Baig made his singing and acting debut with Shanthi Kumar Seneviratne's film Asokamala and sang the popular song Preethi Preethi.

He was given the opportunity to playback singing for the film Umathu Vishwasaya by renowned actor and songwriter Herbert M. Seneviratne.

In that film, he made the duet song Sudata Sude with Rukmani.

However, he did not get a chance to sing with Rukmini on gramophone discs as they both belong to two competing disc companies – Colombia and HMV respectively.

Later, he made several playback duets with songstress and actress Rukmani Devi for the films Iranganie, Mathabedhaya, Perakadoru Bena and Daivayogaya.

In 1956, Baig was fortunate enough to sing the song 2500 Buddha Jayanthi Babalewa Lanka during the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations.

He also visited Mecca in 1987 under the patronage of Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

It is said that the president invited him to return to his permanent residence in Pakistan.

Baig got his name "Alhaj" after his journey to Mecca.

Baig was scheduled to perform in England on 13 and 14 November 1991.

Before that he thought of curing his eye ailment.

On 3 November 1991, Baig was admitted to a private hospital in Colombo for cataract removal surgery.

On the next day, Baig died from an unexpected infection during the surgery.

Medical reports stated that the cause of his death was a complication caused by a mismatch between blood pressure and anesthesia.

Following Islamic traditions, his funeral was organized within a day and buried at Kuppiyawatta Muslim Cemetery.

During Baig's arrival, he met another Indian Mohammed Gauss, who was born in South India and came to Sri Lanka.

Beg participated in the dignitaries' conclave in Colombo with Gauss master.

Around that time, Beg was inspired to sing Sinhala songs composed to Hindi tunes at the request of Gauss Master and U.D. Perera.