Sandhya Mukhopadhyay
Encyclopedia
Sandhya Mukhopadhyay (b. 1931) is an India
n singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She was born in Kolkata
, India
. She is also known as Sandhya Mukherjee.She was very close friends with the late Alpana Banerjee
. She received Banga-Vibhushan
, the highest civilian honour in West Bengal
in 2011.
under whom she mastered Indian classical music.
Though classically trained, the bulk of her work consists of Bengali modern songs. She began her career in Mumbai
singing Hindi
songs, starting with a song in the film Anjan Garh at the age of 17. Following her marriage to the Bengali poet Shyamal Gupta she settled in her home city of Kolkata
. Gupta went on to write the lyrics for many of her songs.
Her best known collaboration is arguably with the Bengali singer Hemanta Mukherjee with whom she sang numerous duets, primarily as playback for Bengali films produced from Kolkata. Hemanta and Sandhya became known as the voices behind the pairings of the Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar
and his numerous heroines, most notably being the actress Suchitra Sen
, whose singing voice she became. Besides Hemanta Mukherjee's compositions, her largest body of work is with Robin Chattopadhyay and Nachiketa Ghosh. She has also sung notable songs under Salil Chowdhury and Sudhin Dasgupta's baton.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War
she joined the mass movement among Indian Bengali artistes to raise money for the millions of refugees who had poured into Kolkata
and West Bengal
to escape the fighting, and to raise global awareness for the cause of Bangladesh. She assisted Bangladesh
i musician Samar Das
as he set up the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
, the clandestine radio station broadcasting to Bangladesh and recorded several patriotic songs for him. On the occasion of the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
, the imprisoned leader of the new country of Bangladesh
, she released a song Bangabandhu Tumi Phirey Ele. She later became one of the first foreign artistes to visit Dhaka
, performing at an open-air concert in Paltan Maidan in Dhaka
to celebrate the first Ekushey February after Bangladeshi independence in 1971. She also recorded several songs for Samar Das
's film Dhirey Bohey Meghna and Salil Chowdhury
's Raktakta Bangla.
She is an institution in Bengal and has a huge following among the young and the old in both India and Bangladesh.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She was born in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She is also known as Sandhya Mukherjee.She was very close friends with the late Alpana Banerjee
Alpana Banerjee
Alpana Mukherjee née Banerjee was a successful Bengali singer during the late 1940s and 1950s and onwards...
. She received Banga-Vibhushan
Banga-Vibhushan
Banga-Vibhushan is a title instituted by the West Bengal Government to honour the services of personalities in various fields. This award is apparently instituted on the lines of Padma Vibhushan title awarded nationally....
, the highest civilian honour in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
in 2011.
Training and career
Sandhya started her music training under the direction of Pandit Santosh Kumar Basu, Professor A T Kannan and Professor Chinmoy Lahiri. However, her guru was Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali KhanUstad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was a Hindustani classical vocalist, from the Patiala Gharana.-Early life and background:...
under whom she mastered Indian classical music.
Though classically trained, the bulk of her work consists of Bengali modern songs. She began her career in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
singing Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
songs, starting with a song in the film Anjan Garh at the age of 17. Following her marriage to the Bengali poet Shyamal Gupta she settled in her home city of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. Gupta went on to write the lyrics for many of her songs.
Her best known collaboration is arguably with the Bengali singer Hemanta Mukherjee with whom she sang numerous duets, primarily as playback for Bengali films produced from Kolkata. Hemanta and Sandhya became known as the voices behind the pairings of the Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar
Uttam Kumar
Uttam Kumar is one of the most famous names of Indian Bengali Cinema.Born Arun Kumar Chatterjee in 1926 at Ahiritola, North Calcutta he is widely known as Uttam Kumar and Mahanayak . He remains as much of a cultural icon as he had been in his lifetime...
and his numerous heroines, most notably being the actress Suchitra Sen
Suchitra Sen
Suchitra Sen ; or Rama Dasgupta , is an Indian actress who acted in several Bengali films. In particular, the movies in which she paired opposite another legend in Bengali films, Uttam Kumar, became classics in the history of Bengali cinema. She now lives a life of a recluse rarely making any...
, whose singing voice she became. Besides Hemanta Mukherjee's compositions, her largest body of work is with Robin Chattopadhyay and Nachiketa Ghosh. She has also sung notable songs under Salil Chowdhury and Sudhin Dasgupta's baton.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
she joined the mass movement among Indian Bengali artistes to raise money for the millions of refugees who had poured into Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
to escape the fighting, and to raise global awareness for the cause of Bangladesh. She assisted Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i musician Samar Das
Samar Das
Samar Das was a Bangladeshi musician and composer, from Dhaka. He became one of the most important music directors in Pakistan and subsequently Bangladesh and was the composer of over 2,000 songs. -Early life:...
as he set up the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was a radio broadcasting centre in the Indian city of Kolkata during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. This station played a vital role in increasing mental state of Bangladeshis during the war. In 1971, radio was the only media reaching to the far ends of...
, the clandestine radio station broadcasting to Bangladesh and recorded several patriotic songs for him. On the occasion of the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
, the imprisoned leader of the new country of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, she released a song Bangabandhu Tumi Phirey Ele. She later became one of the first foreign artistes to visit Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, performing at an open-air concert in Paltan Maidan in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
to celebrate the first Ekushey February after Bangladeshi independence in 1971. She also recorded several songs for Samar Das
Samar Das
Samar Das was a Bangladeshi musician and composer, from Dhaka. He became one of the most important music directors in Pakistan and subsequently Bangladesh and was the composer of over 2,000 songs. -Early life:...
's film Dhirey Bohey Meghna and Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....
's Raktakta Bangla.
She is an institution in Bengal and has a huge following among the young and the old in both India and Bangladesh.