Ajoy Chakrabarty
Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Ajoy Chakrabarty |
Born | 25 December 1952 |
Origin | Shyamnagar, West Bengal, India |
Genres | Hindustani classical music |
Occupation | Vocalist |
Years active | 1977–present |
Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty (born 25 December 1952) is an Indian Hindustani classical vocalist.[1]He was given the Padma Bhushan Award, the third highest civilian award in India in 2020.[2][3][4]
Early life
Early life and Gurus
Chakrabarty was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. His father moved to India from his homeland, Mymensingh of Bangladesh during the partition and raised two sons in Shyamnagar. His younger brother, Sanjay Chakraborty, is a lyricist and composer.
He graduated top of his class in music, both in B.A and M.A from the prestigious Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata and joined the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in 1977.
His father was his first Guru. He then studied with Pannalal Samanta, Kanaidas Baigari and Jnan Prakash Ghosh.[5]
Besides that, he had learnt from Latafat Hussain Khan, Nibruttibua Sarnaik, Hirabai Barodekar and in Carnatic styles from M. Balamuralikrishna, that kept enriching his musical expression and repertoire[citation needed]. Despite having such pure classical "taleem" in the Khyal genre, he also renders lighter forms such as Thumri, Tappa, Bhajan, Kirtan, Folk, Film/Non-Film and modern songs, in several different languages.
He has received several prestigious awards including the Padma Shri (2011), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Delhi, 1999–2000), Kumar Gandharva National Award (1993) and the Best Male Playback Singer Award (Bengali Film "Chhandaneer" 1990) ("For bringing the rare depth of emotion, adorned by his command on the classical idiom") and National Tansen Samman 2015 - by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.[6] He has also received felicitations from both the former and present Chief Ministers of his own State, West Bengal. In 2012, Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee conferred him the Maha Sangeet Samman and the Banga Bibhushan, two of the State’s highest awards. In 2015 he has received Guru Jnan Prakash Ghosh Lifetime Achievement Award.
He also was awarded honorary citizenship in New Orleans, after performing with jazz musicians at Preservation Hall, the birthplace of jazz music.
Singing career
He is a recipient of the Padma Shri (2011) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Delhi, 1999-2000) and the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1989- in Bengali Film "Chhandaneer" 1989.[7]
He was the first Indian classical vocalist to be invited by Pakistan and China and by BBC for their Golden Jubilee Celebration of India’s Independence.
He has performed in some of the most prestigious venues around the world such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, New Orleans Jazz Preservation Hall in the US, the Royal Albert hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in the UK, and Theatre de la Ville in France.
Inspired by the ideals of his Guru Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Chakrabarty founded Shrutinandan, a school of music.
Personal life
Chakrabarty is married to Chandana Chakraborty. Their daughter, Kaushiki Chakraborty, is also a vocalist of Hindustani classical music. Their son, Ananjan Chakraborty, is a sound engineer.
Movies
Year | Song | Film | Co-Singer | Composer | Lyricist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | Bela Jay Shyamrai | Baidurjya Rahasya | None | Tapan Sinha | Tapan Sinha |
Nain Mein Nandalal | Baidurjya Rahasya | None | Tapan Sinha | Tapan Sinha | |
1999 | Ore Jaat Jaat koris kano | Niyoti | None | Manoranjan Saha | Bablu Samaddar |
2000 | Isaiyil Thodanguthamma | Hey Ram | None | Ilayaraja | Ilayaraja |
Har Koi Samjhe | Hey Ram | None | Ilayaraja | Ilayaraja | |
2001 | Aan Milo Sajna | Gadar: Ek Prem Katha | Parveen Sultana | Uttam Singh | Anand Bakshi |
2005 | Yeh Kaun Mujhe Yaad Aaya | Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story | None | Naushad Ali | Naqsh Lyallpuri |
Vaishnava Jan To | Water | Kaushiki Desikan | A. R. Rahman,(originally composed by Narsinh Mehta) | Sukhwinder Singh | |
2011 | Bhorer Alo | Bhorer Alo | None | Jeet Gannguli | Priyo Chattopadhyay |
2013 | Rabso Neha Laage (Bilaval Bandish) | Shunyo Awnko | Kaushiki Desikan | Gautam Ghose | Gautam Ghose |
Awards
- National Award – 1989
- Kumar Gandharva Award – 1993
- Sangeet Natak Akademi award – 2000
- Padmashree – 2011[8]
- Banga Bibhushan – 2012
- Alva's Virasat Award – 2012[9]
- Padma Bhushan 2020[10]
References
- ^ Sharma, Jyotirmaya (19 March 2005). "Ahoy Ajoy!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 May 2005. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Padma honours for Ajoy Chakraborty, Manilal Nag". The Times of India. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes given Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Here's full list of Padma award recipients". The Economic Times. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS" (PDF). padmaawards.gov.in. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ Sharma, Jyotirmaya (28 April 2006). "In honour of Bade Khansaheb". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty". SouLSteer. 25 December 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ "37th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
- ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Alva's Virasat off to a flying start". The Hindu. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ "Padma Awards 2020 Announced". pib.gov.in.
External links
- 1952 births
- Hindustani singers
- Living people
- Rabindra Bharati University alumni
- Thumri
- Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
- 20th-century Indian singers
- Singers from West Bengal
- Indian male film singers
- 21st-century Indian singers
- Best Male Playback Singer National Film Award winners
- Indian Classical Musicians of Bengal
- Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts