Banashree Sengupta

Banashree Sengupta (Bengali: বনশ্রী সেনগুপ্ত) (6 May 1945 – 19 February 2017) was an eminent singer of Bengal, known to possess a mellifluous voice .[1] She lent her voice for numerous Bengali, Hindi, Assamese, Bhojpuri and Odia songs in her long career.[2]

Banashree Sengupta
Born(1945-05-06)6 May 1945
Died19 February 2017(2017-02-19) (aged 71)
Kolkata
Occupation(s)Singer

Early years

Banashree’s father Shri Shailendranath Roy (Bengali: শৈলেন্দ্রনাথ রায়) was a noted Indian classical singer of Hugli-Chuchura, West Bengal. She was born to a family of Ayurved doctors and their house in Chinsurah was known as Kabiraj Bari (doctors' house /Bengali: কবিরাজ বাড়ি). However, her grandfather and father were proficient artistes in Indian Classical Music. Her father introduced her to Indian Classical music at her early age. She passed School Final Examination from Banimandir Balika Vidyalaya (Bengali: বাণীমন্দির বালিকা বিদ্যালয়).[3]

Learning Music

Apart from her father, Banashree breceived traing in singing from various masters. Shri Rajen Bandyopadhyay imparted training in Indian classical music while she was at Chinsurah. After her marriage to Sri Shanti Sengupta in 1965 she moved to Kolkata. Here she received training from several exponents of music in various branches, such as Khayal from Ustad Sagiruddin Khan, Pandit Usharanjan Mukhopadhyay and Pandit Shailen Bandyopadhyay, folk song from Dinendra Choudhury, Geet and Bhajan from Kamal Ganguly, Najrul Geeti from Ramanuj Dasgupta and adhunik song from Rabindra Jain, Prabir Majumder, Neeta Sen and Sudhin Dasgupta.[4]

Career

Banashree Sengupta started singing in Akashvani in 1964, where she rendered Geet, Bhajan, Adhunik, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti and songs for children. Her first album was released from HMV (SAREGAMA HMV) in 1966.[4]

She will be remembered for her outstanding performances in Tapan Sinha’s movie Harmonium, Yatrik’s Chhinnapatra etc. Her notable renditions are Aaj bikeler daake, Dur aakashe tomar sur, Andhokaarke bhoy kori, Sundor boner sundori gaachh and many others.

Awards

Banashree received many awards. Government of West Bengal conferred Sangeet Sanman award in 2012 and Maha Sangeet Sanman in 2013.[2] Apart from that she received Uttam Kumar Award, Dishari Award, Bengali Film Journalists Association award, Pramathesh Barua award, Michael Madhusudan award, etc.[5]

Literary works

Though literature was not her domain, she contributed an article that is a pleasant read, published in a newspaper on 23 July 2016, describing the locality where she lived in Argya Abasan of Pratapaditya Road, Kolkata.[6]

Travel

Banashree Sengupta travelled many countries to present her songs. She visited USSR as a part of Government delegation in 1986. She attended North America Bango Sammiloni in Toronto in 1998 and Basanta Utsab in Toronto in 2011. She performed in Milton Keyns, Luton, London and Glasgow in England, New York, New Jercy, Cherry Field, Long Island, Heart Ford, Boston, Tarrency City, Clave Land and Florida in USA, and Montreal and Toronto in Canada.[7]

Death

On 19 February Banashree Sengupta breathed her last at 11.30 am at SSKM hospital after being admitted for ten days. “Deeply saddened at the passing of legendary singer Banashree Sengupta. My condolences to her family and fans,” tweeted Mamata Bandyopadhyay, Chief Minister of West Bengal, expressing grief. Many eminent personalities, singers, artists and common citizen expressed their sorrow at the demise of Sengupta.[8] A large number of her admirers placed wreaths on the body that was kept for public viewing at Rabindra Sadan before the cremation at Keoratolla burning ghat.[9]

References
  1. "Banashree Sengupta paases at 73". Times of India. 20 February 2017.
  2. "Eminent Bengali singer Banasree Sengupta passes away". Hindistan Times. 20 February 2017.
  3. Basu, Tapesh (1 September 2011). "মুখোমুখি". বাংলা খবর (in Bengali). Kolkata. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  4. "Singer Banashree Sengupta dies". The Indian Express. Kolkata. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  5. "চলে গেলেন কিংবদন্তি গায়িকা বনশ্রী সেনগুপ্ত". E Bela. Kolkata. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  6. "প্রতাপাদিত্য রোড- তরুণ প্রজন্ম বাইরে, পাড়াটা যেন বৃদ্ধাশ্রম". Ananda Bazar Patrika. Kolkata. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  7. "Kolkata Bengal Info". Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  8. "প্রয়াত বনশ্রী সেনগুপ্ত". 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  9. "Obituary: Eminent Bengali singer Banasree Sengupta dead". Retrieved 20 October 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.