Description
When we talk about Punjabi Music and Songs, the name duo Surinder Kaur and Parkash Kaur figures
among the top singer of Punjabi folks and songs. Surinder Kaur who sang many songs, individually and also
jointly with her sister had become popular during her life time as ‘The Nightingale of Punjab’. She was always
profusely applauded wherever she gave her performances in the world. In some her performances, another
popular singer Asa Singh Mastana also sang duets with her. Her great contribution to Punjabi movie includes
her giving a successor for the Punjabi music lovers. This successors, popularly known as Dolly Guleria is
all an excellent singer. She was born on Baisakhi day in Bombay. She aspired to be a doctor and for that she
was studying medical, but when in 1970 she got married to an Army officer S.S. Guleria, she was encourage
by her husband to sing and trained others in classical music. Earlier, she had learnt singing while singing
along with her mother, but after marriage she got an opportunity to become the disciple of a very learned
Ustad, ‘Khan Sahib’ Abdul Rehman Khan, of ‘Patiala Gharana’ who trained her in the field of classical music
as foundation with specific aptitude to implement the same in light classical and folk singing. Devotionally
minded since childhood, under the able guidance of her Ustad, she chose to release her solo debut album in
Gurbani in Ragas and sang “Rehras Sahib” the evening ‘Path’ in its original ragas. Subsequently albums were
released of Punjabi folk songs, some with her mother and some solo including Shabad Kirtan, poetry of Shiv
Kumar Batalvi, Bhai Veer Singh and other renowned writers. She has also contributed her voice as playback
singer in Punjabi films such as ‘Rab Dia Rakhan’, ‘Deson Pardesh’ and ‘Mai Maa Punjab Di’. Like her mother
she has also trained her daughter Sunaini, who has been giving company in a number of performances at
different places. For example, during her goodwill and cultural exchange visit to Pakistan in November
1997 she and her daughter Sunaini enthralled the audience of Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
ad in Faislabad (Layalpur) at the Chenab Club with her music. She was honoured with a golden plaque of
Miner-e-Pakistan and a Gold Medal her outstanding contribution. As Dolly enjoyed live performances and
the immediate response of the audience boost her moral, she has given such performances in many country
of the world. She is a role-model not only because she is an excellent singer, but also because it is her wish
to keep the Punjabi music alive it its purest form and for that she teaching music to dedicated students
in her famous Nightingale Music Academy at Chandigarh. This academy was started in March 2005 in
the memory of her mother and since then it has been training the students not only in Indian classical
music, but also various other aspects connected there with namely Yoga, Surabhyas, Voice Culture, Speech Therapy, Personality grooming, Performance Techniques and Exposure to Live Performance. Workshop
and periodically had to encourage the students and enable them to prepare their new albums.
