Samina Hassan Syed, a Punjabi singer and music teacher, passed away on Saturday. Samina had been suffering from cancer. She was 72 years old.
Prominent literary and cultural personalities attended the funeral prayers held at her house at 2:30pm on 49-Jail Road. She was laid to rest at Shah Jamal graveyard.
Samina played a big role in supporting her husband, Najam Hussain Syed, by organising a weekly gathering, Sangat, to sing and discuss Punjabi poetry without a break for 40 years.
Sangats, held at the couple’s house on jail road, would start with her singing of classical Punjabi poems. After the singing, Najam would speak about the poems. Then, Samina would give singing lessons to the participants.
Samina Syed had learnt singing from Ustad Chotay Ghulam Ali. She had played a decisive role in the establishment of the Musicology Department at College of Home Economics, Gulberg, during her days as a music teacher.
