Today is the birthday of Runa Laila, one of the leading singers of the sub-continent. Her fans, friends, and well-wishers from around the world have sent their greeting messages to the great singer as she steps into 67th year.

Celebrities and her co-artistes also take to the social media and shower love on Runa Lila with birthday wishes.

Marking the day in a befitting manner, different TV channels of Bangladesh and Kolkata have chalk out elaborate programme.

Kolkata’s popular TV channel, Star Jalsha will air a special programme to celebrate the noted singer’s birthday. From 2016 this channel is being aired family drama serial Ke Apon Ke Por. Joba is the central character of the serial where Pallavi Sharma is playing the role. To pay tribute to Runa Laila and to inspire Pallavi Sharma, Star Jalsha is set to air a special episode of the serial.

Popular music station of the country, Dhruba Music Station released Runa Laila’s latest single track titled ‘Pheratey Paari Ni’ on Saturday on the eve of her birthday. Composed by the singer herself, the lyrics of the song has been written by Kabir Bakul, and the music is done by Raja Kasheef. The music video, featuring Niloy Alamgir and Sallha Khanam Nadia, has been directed by Shahrear Polock.

Runa Laila is a Bangladeshi singer, widely regarded as one of the popular singers in South Asia and started her career in Pakistan film industry in late 1960s.

Her style of singing is inspired by Pakistani playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and she also made a popular pair with him after replacing singer Mala.

Her parents hoped for her to be a dancer and made her learn Kathak and Bharat Natyam. Her elder sister Dina Laila was learning classical music and she picked up from her lessons.

Dina’s teacher then decided to teach Runa also.

She and her sister went to school in Karachi. In those days, Ahmed Rushdi was leading film music as he introduced hip-hop, rock n roll, disco and other modern genres in South Asian music and has since then been adopted in Bangladesh, India and lately Nepal as a pioneering influence in their respective pop cultures.

She became a fan of singer Ahmed Rushdi whom she considered her guru (teacher), and tried to emulate not only his singing style but also the way he used to perform on the stage.

Laila started her career in 1965. She played two songs in the Pakistani film Jugnu. Her first song was Gudiya Si Munni Meri Bhaiya Ki Pyari and the second song was Marna Bhi Nahin Aasan which was a love song.

At the age of 14, She made her breakthrough with the song Unki Nazron Sey Mohabbat Ka Jo Paigham Mila for Pakistani film Hum Dono in 1966.

Runa has performed in many different languages. She has sung in seventeen languages including her native Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Pashto, Baluchi, Arabic, Persian, Malay, Nepalese, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French and English.

Runa Laila was named as SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS. She is the first Bangladeshi to hold this post.

In recognition of her contributions, Runa Laila was honoured with Radio Mirchi Music Award presented by Radio Mirchi at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata in 2015, Independence Day Award of Bangladesh, Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 1976, 1977, 1989, 1992, 2012 a and 2015, Shelteck Award, Lux Channel i Lifetime Performance Award, Saigal Award, India, Nigar Award, Pakistan (twice)1968 and 1970, Critics Award, Pakistan, Graduate Award, Pakistan (twice), and National Council of Music Award- Gold Medal, Pakistan