Jalandhar born Hans Raj Hans was the son of a peasant and his only association with music as a child was the gurbani and the shabad keertan he heard at the gurudwara. He was also fascinated by a sufi singer who would roam around the village singing Sufiyana kalaams.
Hans learnt music from Ustad Puran Shah Koti Sahib, the Sufi singer. It was perhaps the Ustad who gave him the epithet ‘Hans’ that he adds as a last name. He studied in Guru Nanak University, but spent less time in classes and more at music competitions and fests. In 1987, he released his first music album and released several more throughout the 1990s. His first major release was "Lal Garara" (1997). The popularity of Punjabi music was on the rise, and Hans Raj Hans did not miss the oppurtunity.
Throughout the late 1990s and the early 2000s, he released successful albums like "Chorni" (1999), "Jhanjhar" (2000) and "Sag To Sohni" (2001). While he was a fairly prolific singer in Punjabi films, the song "Tote Tote" ("Bichhoo", 2000), brought him to the notice of Hindi film composers as well. Spme of his Bollywood hits include "Ishq Di Gali Vich" ("Kachche Dhaage", 1999), "Saiyyan" ("Nayak", 2001), "Tumba Tumba" ("Patiala House", 2010) and "Ek Tu Hi Tu Hi" ("Mausam", 2011).
He has been awarded the Padma Shri, Lifetime Fellowship by Punjab University, Patiala, Sangeet Natak Academy Award and the title of Raj Gayak by the Government of Punjab.
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