Geetashree[1][2] Sandhya Mukherjee (also spelled Mukhopadhyay; 4 October 1931 – 15 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She received Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian honour of the Indian state of West Bengal in 2011.[3] She also won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her songs in the films Jay Jayanti and Nishi Padma in the year 1970.[4]

Geetashree
Sandhya Mukherjee
Sandhya Mukherjee
Sandhya Mukherjee
Background information
Birth nameSandhya Mukherjee
Born(1931-10-04)4 October 1931
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British Raj
Died15 February 2022(2022-02-15) (aged 90)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
GenresPlayback singing
Occupation(s)Singer, composer
SpouseShyamal Gupta

Early and personal life

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Mukherjee was born in Dhakuria, Calcutta, on 4 October 1931 to Narendranath Mukherjee, a railway official, and Hemprova Devi. She was the youngest of six children. Her grandfather was a police officer, and the family had lived in Dhakuria since 1911.[5] She was married to noted lyrist Shyamal Gupta, until his death in 2010.[6] She has a daughter named Soumi Sengupta.[7]

Training & career

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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 Khan, followed by his son Ustad Munavvar Ali Khan, under whom she mastered Indian classical music.[8] According to Manorma Sharma, "Sandhya has been able to maintain her popularity as a classical vocalist even after acquiring the gloss and the glow of playback singing ..."[8]

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 Taarana in 1950. She sang, as a playback singer, in 17 Hindi films. She decided to come back to and settle in her home city Kolkata in 1952 for personal reasons. She married Bengali poet Shyamal Gupta in 1966. 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. 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.

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 Bangladeshi 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 artists 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.

On 26 January 2022, on the Republic Day and a few days before testing positive for COVID-19, Mukherjee was awarded the Padma Shri for her performance in music.[9] However, she refused the award, labelling it "disparaging and degrading".[10] Mukherjee died of cardiac arrest and COVID-19 complications[11] at a private hospital in Kolkata on 15 February 2022, at the age of 90.[12]

Songs

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Year Film Music director Song(s) Language
1945 Non Film Girin Chakrabarti “Tumi firaye diyachho”, “Tomar akashe jhilmil kore” Bengali
1948 Anjangarh R C Boral "Ab Nahi Dharat Dheer Dheer" Hindi
1948 Anjangarh R C Boral “Ramdhun”, “Gun gun mor gaan” Bengali
1948 Sabyasachi Robin Chattopadhyay Bengali
1948 Samapika Robin Chattopadhyay “Manusher mone bhor holo aj”, “Protima goriya debota cheyechhi”, “Amare loye je”, “Ami shudhu bangi” Bengali
1948 Abhiman Ramchandra Pal
1949 Bidushi Bharja
1949 Chota Bhai Pankaj Mullick “Ramdhun” Hindi
1949 Swami Hemanta Mukherjee Bengali
1950 Pehla Admi R C Boral Hindi
1950 Non Film Shyamal Mitra "Ogo mor geetimoy" Bengali
1951 Sazaa S D Burman "Aa Gupchup Gupchup Pyar Karen"
"Ye Baat Koi Samjhaye Re"
Hindi
1951 Taraana Anil Biswas "Bol Papihe Bol Kaun Hai Tera Chitchor" Hindi
1952 Izzat Bulo C Rani "Ishq Me Ho Jao Barbaad"
"Kya Kya Sitam Sahe Hain Do Din Ki Zindagi Me"
"Tera Jhoomta Shabaab Jaise"
Hindi
1953 Baaghi Madan Mohan "Jungle Mangal" Hindi
1953 Ek Do Teen Vinod "Aa Jaa Re Balam Tujhe Meri Kasam" Hindi
1953 Fareb Anil Biswas "Udaasiyon Me Nazar Kho Gai" Hindi
1953 Husn Ka Chor Bulo C Rani "Dheere Dheere Dil Me Samaa"
"Dil Lagaane Wale Apne Se Hazaaron Hain"
"O Jaane Waale Kisi Ka Salaam Leta Jaa"
"O Sangdil Zamaane Mujkhe Kyun Rulaata Hai"
Hindi
1954 Manohar S Venkat Raman "Aayee Basant Ritu Aayee Bahaar Leke"
"Doob Gaye Sab Aas Ke Taare"
"Rut Hai Suhaani Raat Jawan Hai"
"Sukh Bhari Duniya Meri Barbaad Jo"
Hindi
1956 Jaagte Raho Salil Choudhary "Maine Jo Lee Angrayee Teri Mehfil" Hindi
1966 Mamta Roshan "Tose Naina Laage Re Saanwariya" Hindi
1970 Jai jayanti "Jhana jhanana Sur jhankare" Bengali
"Mone Mone Gatha Mala"
"Shaon Elo Oi Thoi Thoi"
"Projapoti Mon Amar"
"Tumi Nahoy Rahite Kachhe"
"Mor Bhiru Se Krishnakali"
"Madhumaloti Dake Aay"
"Polash Amar Krishnachura"
"Bashi Go Bole Papiya"
"Lalita Go Bole Di"
"Holud Gandar Phool"
"Ei Sanjhjhara Lagane"
"Dhanya Hobo Je Ami"
"Ebare Bujjechi Ami"
"Ami Tomare Bhalobesechi"
"Mayabati Meghe Elo Tandra"
Non film "O Re Jeenewale"
"Ogu Sindur Ranga Megh"
"Shankha Bajiye Make"
"Ni Sa Ga Ma Pa"
"Piya Piya Piya Ke Dake Amare"
"O Bak Bakum Paira"
"Badho Jhulona"
"E Je Bangla"
"Tumi Je Amar Pratham Rater"
"Aha Ki Misti"
Saptapadi Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay "Ei Path Jadi Na Sesh Hoy"
"He Sagar Keno Tomay Nil Dekhi"
"Aaj Keno O Chokh Lal"
"Ke Tumi Amare Dako"
"Gane Mor Kon Indradhanu"
"Boro Derite Tumi"
"Tumi To Janona"
"Champa Chameli"
"Se Gan Jai Je Bhule"
"Boro Derite Tumi Bujhle"
"Ogo Momo Prano Hay"
"Ore O Bijan Baner Pakhi"
E Shudhu Ganer Din"
"Kichhu Khushi Kichhu Nesha"
"Moner Madhuri Mishaye"
"Shuno Shuno Ei Raat"
"Aar Dekona Ei Modhu Name"
"Tari Bhese Jay"
"Na Jani Kon Chhande"
"Sharame Jorano Akhi"
"E Sundar Ratri"
"Ekti Sukher Neer"
"Prabhat Surja"
"Aaj Holi Khelbo Shyam"
"Ore Sokal Sona"
"Bah Chharata To Besh"
"Shyamal Barani Ogo Kanya"
"Prantateri Gaan Amar"
Salil Chowdhury "Ujjal Ekjhak Payra"
"Shraban Ajhare Jhare"
"Aay Bristy Jhepe"
"Jare Ja Phire Ja"
"Gungun Mon Bhomra"
"Jibone Ja Kichu Chilo"
"Jodi Naam Dhore Take Daaki"
"Godhulir Shanto Chhayay"
"Ke Jeno Pother Majhe"
"Guru Guru"
"Sajani Go Kotha Shono"
"Sajani Go Sajani"
"Kichu Aar Kahibo Na"
"O Neel Neel Payra"

Bengali film songs

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Year Film Song Composer(s) Lyricist Co-singer
1950 Se Nilo Biday "Tobo Moner Modhubone" Subal Dasgupta solo
"Amar Surer Dheu Legechhe"
1955 Hrad "Chand Dube Gele" Manabendra Mukhopadhyay solo
Sabar Uparey "Ghum Ghum Chand" Robin Chatterjee Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
"Janina Phurabe Kobe"
1956 Asamapta "Bauri Hoyeche Aaj Sreeradha" Nachiketa Ghosh solo
"Monobeena Baaje"
"Eto Bhabini Konodin"
Ekti Raat "Kakon Bole Shrimoti Tobe" Anupam Ghatak solo
"O Bashi Daake"
"Prodiper Shikha Keno Kaape"
Ek Din Ratre "Se Gaan Ami" Salil Chowdhury solo
Shankar Narayan Bank "Etodin Pore Tomaro Poth" Anupam Ghatak solo
Trijama "Pakhir Kujon Kunje" Hemanta Mukherjee solo
"Dhup Chirodin"
"Jhiri Jhiri Piyaler"
"Matite Chandramallika"
Raat Bhore "Bone Noy Mone Aaj" Satinath Mukherjee solo
"Rimjhim Jhim Taale"
Shilpi "Tumi Je Amar" Robin Chatterjee Pranab Raha solo
"Nupurer Gunjone"
1957 Chandranath "Mor Bheeru Se Krishnokoli" Robin Chatterjee Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
Jatra Holo Shuru "E Gaan Gaoa Mor" solo
"Jadubhare Naina Tore"
Pathe Holo Deri "Polash Aar Krishnachura" Robin Chatterjee Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
"Ei Sajhero Logone"
"Tumi Nahoy Rohite Kachhe"
"E Shudhu Gaaner Din"
1959 Sonar Harin "Ei Je Chander Alo" Hemanta Mukherjee Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
1961 Saptapadi "Ei Poth Jodi Na Shesh Hoy" Hemanta Mukherjee Gauriprasanna Mazumdar Hemanta Mukherjee
"Ei Poth Jodi Na Shesh Hoy" (female) solo
1962 Bipasha "Ami Swapne Tomay Dekhechi" Robin Chatterjee Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
"Klantir Poth"
"Rojoni Pohalo"
1963 Bhrantibilas "Tumi Ki Sei Tumi Nao" Shyamal Mitra Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
Deya Neya "E Gaane Projapotir" (part 1) Shyamal Mitra Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
"E Gaane Projapotir" (part 2)
Uttar Falguni "Kaun Tarah Se Tum" Robin Chatterjee Traditional solo
"Tum Chatur"
"Zindagi Ki Ek Bhool Thi"
"Tore Naina Lage" Chhaya Devi
1965 Alor Pipasa "Minoti Mor Tomar Paaye" Hemanta Mukherjee solo
"Aaja Piya"
1966 Notun Jibon "Ami Tomare Bhalobeshechi" solo
"Tomare Bhalobeshechi"
Uttar Purush "Moner Dewale Chirodin" Manabendra Mukhopadhyay Shyamal Gupta solo
1967 Antony Firingee "Tunhu Mamo Monopran Hey" Anil Bagchi solo
"Ghiri Ghiri Aai"
"Ami Je Jalsaghare" (female)
"Champa Chameli Golaperi Baage" Manna Dey
Gar Nasimpur "Je Golap Kaantar Ghaye" Shyamal Mitra solo
Nayika Sangbad "Aji Chonchol Mon" Hemanta Mukherjee solo
"Ki Mishti Dekho"
"Keno E Hridoy"
1969 Kamallata "O Mon Kokhon Shuru" Robin Chatterjee Pranab Roy Shyamal Mitra
"Se Bine Aar Janena"
"Niyon Mohon Shyam"
"Kohe Chondidas" Traditional
"Ham Abhagini Tahe Ekakini" Chandidas
"Tomar Gorobe Gorobini" Mahajan Padabali
Pita Putra "Teer Bedha Pakhi" Pabitra Chattopadhyay solo
"Probhuji Tumi Dao Dordhon"
"Tumi Koto Sundor"
"Raag Je Tomar Mishti" Hemanta Mukherjee
1970 Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant "Phooler Marshum Chandni" Shyamal Mitra Pranab Roy solo
"Malatir Kunjabone Bhramarer Gunjarane"
"Dure Jadi Chale Jaai" Shyamal Mitra
Nishi Padma "Ore Sokol Sona Molin Holo" Nachiketa Ghosh Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
1971 Shakuntala "Dekhogo Priya Dekhona" Kalipada Sen Saral Guha solo
1972 Jiban Saikate "Keno Je Ke Jaane" Sudhin Dasgupta solo
1973 Dhire Bohe Meghna "Koto Je Dhire Bohe Meghna" Samar Das, Satya Saha Mohammad Moniruzzaman Hemanta Mukherjee
1974 Fuleswari "Hay Hay Hay Hay" Hemanta Mukherjee Pulak Banerjee Aarti Mukherjee
1975 Hongsoraaj "Namah Mata Saraswati" Sudhin Dasgupta Aarti Mukherjee, Tarun Banerjee
1976 Priyo Bandhobi "Emon Ekti Golpo Bolte Paro" Nachiketa Ghosh solo
Rajbongsho "Mohuate Hoyna Nesha" (female) solo
"Chol Chol Phire Chol" Arundhati Holme Chowdhury
Sudur Niharika "Aaj Ei Raat Jolshar Raat" Manabendra Mukhopadhyay Shyamal Gupta solo
"Ahoto Pakhi"
1977 Ajasra Dhanyabad "Tumi Je Amari Gaan" Shyamal Mitra Gauriprasanna Mazumdar solo
Praner Thakur Ramkrishna "Ogo Nororupi Bhogoban" solo
"Mon Amar Krishno"
1978 Punarmilan "Ebare Bujhechhi Ami" Kalipada Sen solo
1980 Priyatama "Bhaibon Dujoner Sneho" Shyamal Mitra Shyamal Mitra
Putul Ghor "O Akash" solo
Sujata "Jodi Chand Aar Surjo" Nachiketa Ghosh Aarti Mukherjee
"Bashi Bajbena Keno" solo
Upalabdhi "Golaper Ator Achhe" solo
1981 Kalankini "Payel Bedhechhi Paaye" Shyamal Mitra Gouriprasanna Mazumdar solo
"Amar E Buke Kanna"
1982 Sonar Bangla "Ei Je Bangla" Neeta Sen Gauriprasanna Mazumdar Hemanta Mukherjee
"Ekdin Chhilo Je Bharote" Sudhin Sarkar
Rajbodhu "Aaju Rong Khelatu" Abhijeet Banerjee solo
1984 Abhishek "Keno Mala Dile" Nachiketa Ghosh Shyamal Mitra
1993 Prithibir Shesh Station "Khachar Pakhira Aaj" Rabi Bandyopadhyay solo
2000 Reenmukti "Shanto Nodita Aaj" Abhijeet Banerjee Saikat Mitra
"Jokhon Brishti Ase" solo

Non-film songs

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Year Film Song Composer Lyrics Co-singer
1975 Down Memory Lane : Music of Kamal Dasgupta[13] "Mon Niye Priyo" Kamal Dasgupta Pranab Roy solo

Urdu film songs

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Year Film Song Composer(s) Lyricist Co-singer
1960 Humsafar "Aankhen Chhalke Mera Dil Dhadke" Mosleh Uddin Shair Siddiqui solo
"Sanwariya O Sanwariya Re"

Awards

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Death

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On 27 January, Sandhya Mukherjee was admitted to SSKM Hospital with breathlessness and was later transferred to Apollo Gleneagles Hospital since she was COVID-19 positive.[17] She also had lung infections, hypotension, ischemic heart disease, multi organ dysfunction and a fracture at her left femur.[18][19] She was showing progressive improvement in her treatment, became COVID-19 negative and underwent a successful femoral surgery on 11 February.[20] In the morning of 15 February, she was transferred to the intensive care unit for sudden severe abdominal pain and hypotension,[21] following which she died at 7.30pm of the same day following a cardiac arrest.[22][23] One of the nurses of the hospital reported that she had the cardiac arrest at the time of listening to "Ei shohor theke aro onek dure", a popular Bengali song by Manna Dey, with whom she sang numerous duets.[24] She was cremated at the electric pyre of Keoratola crematorium with full state honours.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Geetashree Sandhya's Journey Of Songs Comes To An End At 90". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay (15 February 2022). "Legendary Bengali singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay passes away at 90". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  3. ^ State honours nine with Banga-Vibhushan. The Times of India.
  4. ^ "18th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  5. ^ Saleheen, Mesbah-us- (6 February 2015). "A singer with a transparent voice". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  6. ^ মিত্র, সৈকত. "Sandhya Mukherjee: যত নামীই হও, আমার একতলার বাড়িতেই থাকতে হবে, বিয়ের আগে সন্ধ্যাকে বলেছিলেন শ্যামল". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ "'Demeaning': Veteran singer Sandhya Mukherjee, 90, refuses Padma Shri award". CNBCTV18. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b Sharma, Manorma (2006). Tradition of Hindustani Music. APH Publishing House. pp. 119–120. ISBN 9788176489997. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Sandhya Mukherjee hospitalised with Covid". The Financial Express. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Meet Sandhya Mukherjee, the 90-year-old Bengali music legend who turned down Padma Shri". The Indian Express. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Kolkata: Veteran singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay in hospital, tests Covid positive". The Times of India. 28 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Bengali singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, whose golden voice enthralled generations, passes away at 90". The Indian Express. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  13. ^ Down Memory Lane (1975) album songs
  14. ^ Mondal, Rittick (26 January 2022). "'Felt insulted': Veteran playback singer Sandhya Mukherjee turns down Padma Shri". India Today.
  15. ^ "Bangabibhushan title for luminaries". The Hindu. 24 July 2011.
  16. ^ "Sandhya Mukherjee Is No More: 10 Facts About The Legendary Singer From Bengal". news.abplive.com. ABP News. 15 February 2022.
  17. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Mamata meets Sandhya: কোভিড আক্রান্ত সন্ধ্যা, সরানো হচ্ছে বাইপাসের ধারে বেসরকারি হাসপাতালে: মমতা". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Critical But Stable: Hosp | Kolkata News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 29 January 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  19. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Sandhya Mukhopadhyay: গুরুতর অসুস্থ সন্ধ্যার চিকিৎসায় পাঁচ সদস্যের মেডিক্যাল বোর্ড, করানো হল একাধিক পরীক্ষাও". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  20. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Sandhya Mukhopadhyay: সন্ধ্যা মুখোপাধ্যায়ের বাঁ পায়ে সফল অস্ত্রোপচার, শারীরিক অবস্থাও স্থিতিশীল". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  21. ^ "সন্ধ্যা মুখোপাধ্যায়ের শারীরিক অবস্থার অবনতি, রয়েছেন ICU-তে ভেসোপ্রেসার সাপোর্টে". Hindustantimes Bangla (in Bengali). 15 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  22. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Death: প্রয়াত গীতশ্রী সন্ধ্যা, পাতায় পাতায় রামধনু রং ছড়িয়ে সাদাকালো ফ্রেমে গানের প্রজাপতি". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  23. ^ "Veteran singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay passes away - Times of India". The Times of India. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  24. ^ ঘোষ, শান্তনু. "Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Death: হাসপাতালে গানে গানেই কেটেছিল শেষ কয়েক ঘণ্টা". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  25. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Funeral: সন্ধ্যা-প্রদীপ নিভেছিল মঙ্গলেই, বুধ সন্ধ্যায় চিরতরে বিলীন তাঁর নশ্বর দেহ". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 27 February 2022.
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