The celebrated singer had rejected her Padma Shri award in January this year
Nilanjana Javed: It’s a dark day for Bengali music aficionados. Two legends including Bappi Lahiri and legendry singer Sandhya Mukherjee bid farewell to us today.
After a battle of 19 days, legendary Bengali singer passed away at the age of 90 at a city hospital on Tuesday evening. Mukherjee was initially admitted to the SSKM hospital on January 27 with a fracture on her leg. After complaining of breathlessness, she had tested positive for Covid-19 following which she was shifted to a private hospital.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing away of the legendary musician, immortal singer Sandhya Mukherjee. She breathed her last in Koklkata today. He was 90 years old,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote in her condolence message. “For decades she captivated audiences with her unforgettable vocal magic. Many of her songs are still remembered by the music lovers,” she added.
“The West Bengal government awarded her ‘Bangabibhushan’ in 2011, ‘Sangeet Mahasamman’ in 2012 and ‘Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Special Sangeet Samman’ in 2015. She has also received many honours, including the Bharat Nirman Award, National Film Award, BFJA Award etc. She was also the President of West Bengal State Music Academy till her death,” she added.
Born and brought up in Kolkata, she was a student of classical music legend Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. A trained classical musician, she began her career in Bollywood and sung for 17 Hindi films. Later, she moved back to Kolkata and married poet Shyamal Gupta in 1966, who wrote the lyrics for many of her songs.
In her career spanning over several decades, Mukherjee won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. On January 25, days before she was admitted to the hospital, she had refused to accept the Padma Shri award. Calling the decision to grant her the award “insulting and demeaning”, she had said it has come too late for her, and a junior artiste would be more deserving.
Veteran Bollywood singer-composer Bappi Lahiri has passed away in CritiCare Hospital in Mumbai, news agency ANI reported on Wednesday, February 16. He was 69 years old.
“Despite utmost precautions, unfortunately, Mr Bappi Lahiri has tested positive for Covid 19. He is under very good and expert care at the Breach Candy Hospital. Bappi dada’s family requests all those who came in contact with him in the recent past to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure,” according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.
The singer was admitted to the hospital last year after he was tested positive for coronavirus. However, he was discharged soon.
Born in West Bengal, Lahiri first composed music for a Bengali film ‘Daadu’ and launched his Bollywood career with a film, ‘Nanha Shikari’.
Lahiri composed songs for movies such as Disco Dancer, Himmatwala, Sharaabi, Adventures of Tarzan, Dance Dance, Satyamev Jayate, Commando, Aaj Ke Shahenshah, Thanedaar, Numbri Aadmi and Shola Aur Shabnam, among others.
Prominent Bollywood personalities have expressed shock and condoled the demise of Lahiri, who was fondly known as ‘Bappi Da’ in the industry.
