Bismil-Ki-Dastaan: From winning awards to winning hearts
Times of Bennett | Updated: Feb 25, 2026 15:27
Correspondent: Tanisha Virmani
In a time dominated by upbeat hip hop songs, the softness and depth ofSufi music stole the spotlight. In the entire star-studded celebrity lineup of Uphoria, 'Bismil -ki-Mehfil' unequivocally became a fan favourite. But what is so charismatically unique about 'Bismil-ki-Mehfil '? What is the story of the Sufi star Bismil?
His journey began when he was just a five-year-old boy, hailing from a middle-class family of musicians where almost everyone was an
Instrumental artist. The turning point in his life was when his father motivated him to be a singer. He was initially trained under the guidance of his maternal grandfather. Gurus like Ustaad Mohammed, Ahmad Qadri, Ustad Iqbal Ahmad Khan, and Ustaad Aftab Ahmad Khan from Moradabad and Delhi Gharanas later influenced and mentored his voice. Classical foundations shaped the soul of his artistry. By the age of 18, he had begun performing professionally. While pursuing his music honours degree from Hindu College, Delhi University, he formed his first band and then went on to perform at IIT Delhi for a competition. That event was a great motivation for him to plunge into the field of music. In those days, he also used to perform in a cafe on the North Campus in Kamla Nagar. During his college days, he met Vibhor Hasija, his one and only manager. He was the one who first helped him produce music. Later on, they worked together and coined the name 'Bismil-ki-Mehfil' in 2013.
There’s a story behind his stage name as well. It wasn’t just a random fluke, but a handpicked choice of his mother. She chose it from the song 'Gulabi Aaakhen', specifically from the line, “zara sa haske jo dekha main tera bismil hogya”. His independent journey began in 2019 with the song 'Tere Bina' in collaboration with Zee Music Company, which was his first original song. He followed it with 'Ki-Kita', starring Indian model Akanksha Sareen. In 2022, he paid tribute to his inspiration Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and did a cover of 'Kali Kali Zulphon Ke Phande'. In 2023, he was featured on the Times Square Billboard during his ten-city USA and Canada tour and made history as he was one of the first Sufi artists to perform from India over there. He also performed at venues like Abu Dhabi Etihad Arena and joined the league of artists after Arijit Singh and AR Rahman to perform at such a prestigious place. He had also received awards like the GIVA Award and won the Entertainer WOW Award Asia for outstanding achievement in Sufi Music. In 2025 “ Main hoon Sufi” travelled across different venues like Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Nasik, Pune and Nagpur from 25 October to 27 December in 2025.
During the initial days when he was looking for opportunities, he also faced obstacles. For 4 consecutive years, he didnt got any jobs. He dialled number after number, but his motivation never vanished, and that's what made him what he is today, as he never stopped believing in himself. He also shared one opinion once, “Without passion, nothing meaningful can be created. Money may follow, but growth begins with the love for what you do." In his signature poetic style, he describes music as, “Music ek samundar hai jisme se jita hath bahar nikalo utna music aata hai”. Bismil's life is a beautiful concoction of a music-rich lineage, immense talent and unrelenting passion. What Bennett University witnessed at Uphoria 2026 was a net result of all these ingredients put together and served at 'Bismil-ki-Mehfil'.
(This article is written by Tanisha Virmani, a master's student in mass communication who is passionate about reading and writing poetry)
In a time dominated by upbeat hip hop songs, the softness and depth of
His journey began when he was just a five-year-old boy, hailing from a middle-class family of musicians where almost everyone was an
Instrumental artist. The turning point in his life was when his father motivated him to be a singer. He was initially trained under the guidance of his maternal grandfather. Gurus like Ustaad Mohammed, Ahmad Qadri, Ustad Iqbal Ahmad Khan, and Ustaad Aftab Ahmad Khan from Moradabad and Delhi Gharanas later influenced and mentored his voice. Classical foundations shaped the soul of his artistry. By the age of 18, he had begun performing professionally. While pursuing his music honours degree from Hindu College, Delhi University, he formed his first band and then went on to perform at IIT Delhi for a competition. That event was a great motivation for him to plunge into the field of music. In those days, he also used to perform in a cafe on the North Campus in Kamla Nagar. During his college days, he met Vibhor Hasija, his one and only manager. He was the one who first helped him produce music. Later on, they worked together and coined the name 'Bismil-ki-Mehfil' in 2013.
(This article is written by Tanisha Virmani, a master's student in mass communication who is passionate about reading and writing poetry)
