Qazi Ahmad Touqeer (popularly known as Qazi Touqeer) is a singer and performer from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. He became a household name in 2005 when he won Sony TV’s Fame Gurukul jointly with Ruprekha Banerjee, a season that also featured Arijit Singh. Nearly 21 years later, in September 2026, he entered the Bigg Boss 20 house.
He sings in Kashmiri, Hindi, Urdu and English. His later screen appearances include the island reality show Sarkaar Ki Duniya (2009) and the 2015 music video of “Afghan Jalebi (Ya Baba)” from Phantom, a song he appears in but did not sing.
Qazi Ahmad Tauqeer Biography / Wiki Overview
| Personal Details & Bio Data | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Qazi Ahmad Touqeer |
| Popular Name | Qazi Touqeer |
| Profession | Singer, performer, television personality |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly confirmed (published profiles give June 1985 or June 1986) |
| Age | Not publicly confirmed |
| Birthplace / Hometown | Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Parents (per Wikipedia) | Mushtaq Ahmad Qazi (lawyer) and Syeda Rukhsana (school teacher) |
| Uncle | Qazi Rafi, Kashmiri singer |
| Languages He Sings In | Kashmiri, Hindi, Urdu, English |
| Key Breakthrough | Winner of Fame Gurukul (2005, with Ruprekha Banerjee) |
| Other Shows | Sarkaar Ki Duniya (2009), Bigg Boss 20 (2026) |
Qazi Touqeer, Fame Gurukul winner.
Photo: News18 photo gallery (January 2026), credited there to X
Early Life & Musical Roots in Kashmir
Qazi Touqeer was born in Srinagar. Wikipedia names his parents as Mushtaq Ahmad Qazi, a lawyer who later embraced Sufism, and Syeda Rukhsana, a school teacher, and his uncle as Qazi Rafi, a well-known Kashmiri singer. His exact date of birth is not settled: published profiles give either June 1985 or June 1986, so we do not state an age.
The Fame Gurukul Phenomenon (2005)
Fame Gurukul, Sony’s 2005 singing reality show, made him famous. He and Ruprekha Banerjee were declared joint winners in October 2005, and Wikipedia records that he received 2.5 crore paid SMS votes in the finale, reported at the time as the highest for any contestant on Indian television. After the show the pair released music together, including the album Qazi-Ruprekha Jodi No-1 and the song “Yeh Pal”.
Arijit Singh was also a contestant that season. As Brut points out, Qazi did not beat Arijit in a final, as is often claimed online; Arijit was eliminated before the final. The two have stayed friends, and in 2026 Qazi visited Arijit’s hometown, Jiaganj in West Bengal.
Bollywood and Television After Fame Gurukul
In 2008 he hurt his neck in a fall while rehearsing at Ganesh Acharya’s studio for his planned acting debut, Take Off, a film that was later shelved. In 2009 he took part in Sarkaar Ki Duniya, a reality show set on a remote island.
In 2015 he appeared in the music video of “Afghan Jalebi (Ya Baba)” from Phantom, alongside Katrina Kaif and Saif Ali Khan. The song itself was sung by Pakistani singer Asrar; Qazi later performed and released his own cover of it.
Bigg Boss Season 20 Journey
Qazi was introduced as the third contestant at the Bigg Boss 20 grand premiere on 6 September 2026 (Kashmir Life). All the housemates are on our Bigg Boss 20 contestants list. His season so far, as recorded on Wikipedia and in news reports:
- Day 2: Kanika Mann, asked to name the housemate she disliked most, chose Qazi, which barred him from the first captaincy task.
- Late September: Rhiti Tiwari said in a diss-battle task that she hated him; on the following Weekend Ka Vaar, Salman Khan pulled Rhiti up and praised Qazi and Uditi Singh for staying calm (ANI via Deccan Chronicle).
- Day 30: he and Uditi won the “Style Icon” task.
- Week 6: a joke he made about spitting in ScoutOP‘s ear was overheard by Nakul Dhull and passed on to Scout; Scout confronted him and Qazi said it was only a joke. The row led to the fight between Nakul and Gullu that got Nakul removed (Sports Digest).
- Week 8: he was not among the six housemates nominated, according to Filmibeat.
Lesser-Known Facts About Qazi Ahmad Tauqeer
- He did not sing “Afghan Jalebi”; he appears in its music video, and the song was sung by Asrar.
- He and Arijit Singh were on the same Fame Gurukul season and remain friends, but they did not meet in the final.
- His uncle, Qazi Rafi, is a well-known Kashmiri singer.
- His planned acting debut, Take Off, was shelved after he injured his neck in rehearsal in 2008.
- He sings in four languages: Kashmiri, Hindi, Urdu and English.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Who is Qazi Ahmad Tauqeer?
Ans: Qazi Ahmad Touqeer (Qazi Touqeer) is a singer from Srinagar who won Fame Gurukul in 2005 with Ruprekha Banerjee and is a contestant on Bigg Boss 20.
Q2: Did Qazi Touqeer sing “Afghan Jalebi”?
Ans: No. He appears in the music video of “Afghan Jalebi (Ya Baba)” from Phantom (2015), but the song was sung by Asrar. Qazi later released his own cover.
Q3: How old is Qazi Touqeer in 2026?
Ans: His date of birth is not consistently reported: published profiles give June 1985 or June 1986, so we do not state an age.
Q4: Where was Qazi Touqeer born?
Ans: In Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
Q5: Which reality show did Qazi Touqeer win?
Ans: Sony TV’s Fame Gurukul in 2005, jointly with Ruprekha Banerjee.
Q6: Did Qazi Touqeer beat Arijit Singh?
Ans: Not in a final. Both were on Fame Gurukul in 2005, but Arijit was eliminated before the final, which Qazi and Ruprekha won.
