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When people think of India's greatest singers, names such as Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi usually come to mind. However, the country's first crorepati singer belonged to an earlier generation.

Long before playback singing became the backbone of Indian cinema , Gauhar Jaan had already established herself as one of the biggest musical stars in the country. Gauhar Jaan achieved immense fame during the early years of recorded music. She enjoyed enormous financial success and became one of India's wealthiest performers. Despite her extraordinary achievements, her final years were marked by hardship, making her life one of the most fascinating stories in Indian music history .

From Angelina Yeoward to Gauhar Jaan

Gauhar Jaan was born as Angelina Yeoward in India into a family of Armenian heritage. Her childhood changed after her parents separated. Following her mother's marriage to Khursheed, Angelina embraced a new identity and became known as Gauhar Jaan.

The family settled in Calcutta in 1883, where her artistic journey gathered momentum. She made her first public performance in 1888 and quickly earned recognition for her talent. Her growing popularity helped her secure a position as a court musician for the Darbhanga Raj. By 1896, she had become a regular performer and was steadily building her reputation across the country.

How the 'Gramophone Girl' changed Indian music

The arrival of gramophone recording technology transformed Gauhar Jaan's career. She became one of the first Indian artists to record songs on 78 rpm records, introducing recorded music to audiences across the country. Her recordings became immensely popular, earning her the title of "Gramophone Girl." She is widely regarded as India's first celebrity recording artist, with her music reaching homes far beyond the concert stage. Some of her best-known recordings include "Jogia - Thumri," "Ras Ke Bhare Noore Nain," "Bhalobasibe Bole Bhalobasi Na," and "Kajri." These songs remain an important part of India's musical heritage.

The wealth, fame and royal recognition

At the peak of her career, Gauhar Jaan reportedly charged between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 for a single recording. That was considered an extraordinary amount during the early 1900s. By comparison, legendary playback singers Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi reportedly earned around Rs 500 per song during the 1950s. Gauhar's earning power reflected her unmatched popularity in her era. Her success allowed her to lead a lavish lifestyle. She was known for travelling in a horse-drawn buggy, a privilege largely associated with the highest-ranking British officials. Even after reportedly being fined, she continued using it. In 1911, Gauhar Jaan received another prestigious honour when she performed during King George V's Delhi Durbar coronation celebrations. By then, she had become India's first crorepati singer and one of the country's wealthiest non-royal personalities.

A legacy that outlived her fortune

Although Gauhar Jaan reached remarkable heights, her later years were far more difficult. Declining health led her to Mysore, where Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV appointed her as a palace musician. Reports also suggest she struggled with depression during this phase of her life. She passed away in 1930 at the age of 56. After her death, many reportedly expected her to have left behind a vast fortune. Instead, it emerged that most of her wealth had been spent during the final decade of her life. The singer who once enjoyed unmatched fame and prosperity died with little to her name. Even so, Gauhar Jaan's influence on Indian music remains immense. As India's first recording superstar and first crorepati singer, she laid the foundation for generations of artists who followed.