Begum Akhtar   Singer, 1914-1974 Queen of Melody Begum Akhtar took classical music beyond the dry confines of orthodox purity, mixed it with the colourful shayari of poetic greats and presented it as a heady cocktail to delightful listeners. "People don’t want to listen to an imitation. If they want to listen to my style, they will go and buy my records."