Qazi Touqeer is an Indian singer, who won the show Fame Gurukul – along with Ruprekha Banerjee. He sings in the Kashmiri, Hindi and Urdu languages. On 20 October 2005, he managed to grab the top prize along with Ruprekha Banerjee. He was voted by the Indian public to be the winner of Fame Gurukul, India's version of Fame Academy. The president of India, in regards to Qazi Touqeer, declared him to be the hero of Kashmir. As a result of Qazi's success, a plethora of Kashmiri youth auditioned in Indian Idol tryouts, which were held in Srinagar, a city in the Kashmir Valley.
He released a new album out along with Ruprekha Banerjee at the end of 2005. Qazi had no formal training before Fame Gurukul.
He injured himself while rehearsing for his acting debut film, Take Off. Qazi was rehearsing at Ganesh Acharya Studios when he fell down and injured his neck.
In September 2026, Qazi Touqeer entered the twentieth season of the Hindi-language reality television show Bigg Boss as a contestant. His participation marked his return to mainstream television nearly two decades after he won the singing reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005. During his time on Bigg Boss 20, Touqeer attracted attention for his interactions and activities in the house, including a prank that was later addressed by host Salman Khan.
Early Life Qazi Touqeer was born on 2 June 1985 in Srinagar, Kashmir to Mushtaq Ahmed Qazi, a lawyer who later embraced Sufism, and Syeda Rukhsana, a school teacher. His uncle is Qazi Rafi, a well-known Kashmiri singer. Touqeer also has a younger brother named Qazi Touseef, an entrepreneur.Qazi Touqeer grew up in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in a family with connections to education, law and music. His father was a lawyer who later developed an interest in Sufi thought, while his mother worked as a schoolteacher. His paternal uncle, Qazi Rafi, was a professional singer in Kashmir. Touqeer later recalled that although he had a musical influence within his family, he did not receive formal training in singing during his childhood. (India Forums)
From a young age, Touqeer was interested in performing and acting. In interviews during his Fame Gurukul period, he recalled that he was often the centre of attention at social and cultural gatherings and was known for his confidence on stage. He participated in Saaz aur Awaaz concerts in Srinagar, which, according to his recollection, were sometimes informally referred to as “Saaz aur Qazi” because of his frequent participation. (India Forums)
Touqeer also developed an interest in acting and mimicry. Accounts of his childhood describe him imitating Bollywood actors and recording his performances around Srinagar, including at the Mughal Gardens, with the help of his younger brother. He later recalled using a handycam to record himself, allowing him to observe and improve his mannerisms and stage presentation. (India Forums)
Although he eventually became known primarily as a singer, Touqeer has repeatedly said that acting and live performance were among his principal ambitions. He has also cited performers such as Michael Jackson and Ricky Martin as influences because of their stage presence, while naming Sonu Nigam as an inspiration for live performance. (India Forums)
Touqeer studied at SP High School and, according to interviews published during Fame Gurukul, completed his Class 12 education at Amar Singh College in Srinagar. (India Forums)
During his youth, he pursued interests beyond music and acting, including bodybuilding and other sporting activities. A contemporary profile described dramatics, stage performances, bodybuilding, cricket, swimming and skiing among his interests. (India Forums)
Before entering Fame Gurukul, Touqeer did not consider himself a traditionally trained singer. He later recalled that he had little knowledge of formal musical techniques and had largely developed his performance style through exposure to Kashmiri folk music, Hindi film music and live performances. His entry into Fame Gurukul therefore represented a transition from a locally known performer in Srinagar to a contestant on a nationally televised music reality programme. (India Forums)
In 2005, after seeing the growing popularity of television music competitions, Touqeer auditioned for Sony Entertainment Television’s Fame Gurukul. He subsequently became one of the show’s most prominent contestants and went on to win the competition alongside Ruprekha Banerjee in October 2005.
Discography
Albums Album InformationOfficial SinglesYeh Pal Released: 1 January 2006 Label: Sony BMG Peak India Billboard: 1 India sales: 2,354,3532005: "Yeh Pal" 2005: "Karu Kya" 2005: "Hero" 2005: "Meri Mehbooba" 2005: "Yeh Pal-Remix" 2005: "Madham Si Chandani" 2005: "Kehkashan"ha
Filmography
Films YearTitleNotes2009Take Off (Shelved film)2015 Phantom Guest appearance in the song "Afghan Jalebi"
Television Year Title Role Notes Ref(s) 2005 Fame Gurukul Contestant Winner 2009 Sarkaar Ki Duniya 2026Bigg Boss Season 20
References
External links Review of Qazi Touqeer and Ruprekha Banerjee's first album: Jodi No. 1 A picture of Qazi Touqeer