Ferdausi Rahman

Ferdausi Begum was born to folk singer Abbasuddin Ahmed.^[1] She had two elder brothers, Justice Mustafa Kamal (d. 2015) and singer Mustafa Zaman Abbasi (d. 2025).^[1] Her nieces, Nashid Kamal, Samira Abbasi and Sharmini Abbasi, are also singers.

Rahman participated as a child artiste in radio programmes. In 1955, she first sang for the radio as an adult artiste.^[2] The first released movie where she sang as a playback singer was Ehtesham's Ei Desh Tomar Amar under the music direction of Khan Ataur Rahman in 1959, followed by Asiya in 1960. Her father was one of the music directors of the film.

In 1964, her song was broadcast on the newly established Pakistan Television in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Her children's program Esho Gaan Shikhi is a program to teach children about music on Bangladesh Television and the program has been running for 44 years. She is known as Gaaner Khalamoni (Aunt of Song) for this program.^[8] NTV has been airing a program of her songs presented by contemporary artistes.^[3]

• Lahore Cine Journalist Awards (1963)
• President's Pride of Performance Award (1965) by the President of Pakistan
• Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Music Director (1976)^[2]
• Bachsas Awards (1976)^[9]
• Ekushey Padak (1977)
• Independence Day Award (1995)
• Nasiruddin Gold Medal
• A crest as part of the Gunijon Shongbordhona programme (2009)
• Lifetime Achievement Award 2008 at the Meril Prothom Alo Awards.

Rahman was married to Rezaur Rahman, an engineer and industrialist, from 1966 until his death in 2024.^[10] They had two sons, Rubaiyat Rahman and Razin Rahman.^[2]