I first heard Mehdi saab’s recordings on the radio and then on cassettes in the 1960s. I was mesmerised by his voice, and remained so for the next 45 years.u00a0The first time we met was in 1977 in Toronto at a friend’s house. He was wearing a beautifully embroidered kurta and chewing paan. There was a regal aura about him. Others had told him that I sang well. He told me to sing something, and I was petrified, but I sang. He didn’t say anything.u00a0

The next day at a private mehfil he took me aside and advised me, “You should not sing yet. Your voice needs to be trained.” He was never anything less than honest. I think that was a turning point in my singing career. He could’ve easily made polite noises about my singing and moved on, but he didn’t. He nurtured my voice. He was a strict teacher and taught me much.