Parween Sultana entered the world in Gowgong, Assam, during 1950. Her father, Janal Ikramul Majib, immersed her from childhood in the traditions and biographies of legendary musical figures; a passionate classical music enthusiast, he held Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in particular esteem. He regularly escorted her to music festivals while she was still young. In 1991 she recounted, "I come from a very conservative Muslim family and Muslims are very, very conservative." Even within that restrictive environment her father nurtured her emerging vocal talent, which eventually drew her toward the then-taboo act of performing publicly. She first appeared onstage at nine years old. EMI India issued her debut EP in 1965 and her first LP two years later. For a decade she studied under Chinmoy Lahiri until his declining health prompted him to recommend Dilshad Khan, a musician based in Bombay, as her next teacher. She initially resisted the suggestion yet formally accepted him as her guru in August 1974. On August 26, 1975, the pair wed. Thereafter they maintained independent solo paths alongside their joint performances. Her classical commitments have occasionally extended into film work, including contributions to the soundtracks of Ashary, Kudrat and Pakeezah.
