Dadi Leelan: The First Woman Music Teacher of Sindh

Sindh is a fortunate land that it has got many dedicated and sincere intellectuals, scholars and educationists who have served this great land of River Indus with all their passion and with only one aim to serve their motherland. 

One such great educationist was Dadi Leelan, who was born on 20 December 1916 at Hyderabad, her native home was at Chotki Ghatti where her father Hoot Chand shifted in 1922, later the family shifted to Heerabad area which was known for its cold breeze.

 Dadi Leelan witnessed the horrifying scenes of partition in 1947 and she was 31 years old when the partition took place. She was very hurt when her brother Sadhu Vaswani migrated to India after partition, not only him but her six brothers and a sister migrated to India, but her father refused to leave his motherland, due to which the remaining family faced many difficulties, till her father died in 1953 at Heerabad, Hyderabad.

Dadi Leelan married to Dr. Tulsidas Heerchandan on 18 April 1954, who retired as health officer, they had only one son, who also happens to be a doctor.

At the age of 4, Dadi Leelan started singing and at 7, she started playing harmonium. Once she performed at training college for women and after listening her singing, the then education minister of Sindh, Mr. G M Syed appointed her as a music teacher at a salary of 35 rupees. 

Dadi Leelan also performed with legendary Sindh muscian and singer Master Chander, while her notable students included Zarina Baloch, Rubina Qureshi and others.

Being philanthropist Dadi Leelan started welfare for the poor young girls of marriageable age whose parents were unable to give dowry. Dadi Leelan had friendly terms with Sain G M Syed, Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, Shaikh Ayaz, Pir Hussam uddin Rashdi and others, who loving and respecting her gave her the title of "Dadi" (grandmother).