Gurdas Maan is a Punjabi singer, lyricist and an actor. He is a notable figure not only in the Punjabi industry but also across the globe. He was born in a village of Punjab, Giddarbaha. He started singing at a very early age, but got fame in 1980 from the song 'Dil Da Mamla'. After that, he gave his voice for the song 'Challa' from the movie 'Long Da Lishkara', and the song is still a massive hit in the world. He also acted in the movie. The song was recorded under the music direction of Jagjit Singh. That was just the beginning of an era in the Punjabi music industry – an era which made Gurdas Maan a legendary figure. Apart from having a melodious voice, he also has good looks and acting skills, which further opened other doors for him. He did his first role in the movie 'Mamla Gadbad Hai'. As an actor, his role was much appreciated in the movie 'Shaheed-e-Mohabbat'. Gurdas Maan did a number of films after that, one of which was 'Waris Shah – Ishq Da Waris'. It was a box-office hit and the movie was nominated for the Academy Awards from India's selection. In 2011, Gurdas Maan performed at the Robert Albert Hall for two nights, which was a part of his UK Tour. From India, till now, only Lata Mangeshkar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Gurdas Maan have performed in that hall. He was also honored with the Degree of Doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton in 2010. Gurdas Maan also received the Jury's Award from the President of India, in the year 2005.