Alpana Mukherjee (née Banerjee) ( bn, আল্পনা মুখার্জী) (14 March 1934 – 24 July 2009) was a successful

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

singer during the late 1940s and 1950s and onwards. Her most noted songs are "Trader Chumki Jole Akashe" "Hatti Matim Tim", "Mon Bolchhe Aaj Sandhyay", "Chotto Pakhi Chandana" and "Ami Alpana Enke Jai Aloy Chhayay" " Akash Ar Eai Mati Oi Dure" " Jodi Oli Na chahe".

Early life

At the age of 13, Alpana was discovered by her father's close friends, Robin Chattopadhyay and

Gouri Prasanna Majumdar Gauriprasanna Majumdar (1925–1986) was an Indian lyricist and writer, known for his work in Indian cinema The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th ce ...

, who were very active as music composers and lyricists respectively in the Bengali music scene at that time. Her songs became very popular soon after.

Career

Alpana Banerjee's major popularity derived from singing children's songs, which she transformed from simple rhymes to immortal classics. Bengalis from the 1950s through the 1990s were raised on Alpana's classics like 'Hatti Matim Tim' or 'Chhotto Pakhi Chandana'. Her modern songs received much more popularity. One of the earliest and notable Bengali non-film songs sung by Alpana was "Samiran Phire Chao" under Robin Chattopadhyay's baton. Soon after, in 1951, she recorded the song "Matir Ghare Aaj Nemechhe Chand Re" for the Bengali film 'Vidyasagar' with music once again by Robin Chattopadhay. This song became remarkably popular. Another notable Bengali film song by her, under Robin Chattopadhay's baton yet again, is "Hriday Amar Sundara Taba Paye" from the 1956 film 'Sagarika'. She sang many notable Bengali film and non-film songs in the 1950s under different music composers including Nachiketa Ghosh, Shyamal Mitra, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Sailen Mukhopadhyay and Bhupen Hazarika. Her voice was eloquent in capturing a variety of moods ranging from the romantic "Mon Bolchhe Aaj Sandhyay", to the frivolous 'Bakul Gandhe Jodi', 'Ami Alpana Enke Jai' and sombre 'Jetha Achhe Ogo Shudhu Nirabata'. Alpana recorded a cover version of the Hindi film song 'Albela main ek dilwala' under

Sachin Dev Burman Sachin may refer to: * Sachin (given name), an Indian given name, including a list of people with the name ** Sachin (actor) (born 1957), Indian actor and filmmaker ** Sachin Tendulkar (born 1973), Indian cricketer Films * ''Sachein'', a 2005 Tam ...

's music direction. The regular version of this song was sung by Asha Bhonsle in the 1957 Hindi film 'Miss India'. Alpana collaborated with many of her colleagues including Utpala Sen,

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Geetashree 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 sta ...

Shyamal Mitra Shyamal Mitra (14 January 1929 – 15 November 1987) was an Indian versatile playback singer and music director along with Hemanta Mukherjee and Manna Dey. Mitra had also worked in many Hindi and Bengali films as a music director and film produce ...

(with whom she sang duets on many occasions),

Manabendra Mukhopadhyay Manabendra Mukhopadhyay was an Indian singer and music composer in Bengali films. Coming to limelight in the early 1950s Manabendra was an innovative and stylish singer who had a strong foundation in Indian classical music. With his distincti ...

, and

Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemant Kumar and Hemanta Mukherjee, was a legendary Indian music composer and playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, as well as other Indian ...

. She also sang with

Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...

under the direction of

Pandit Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North Ind ...

. She was often the guest of honour at Bengali music functions, TV programmes, and on AIR (All India Radio) programmes. On All India Radio'-

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

's 'Ramyageeti' program, she sang songs tuned by internationally renowned Sarod player

Ali Akbar Khan Ali Akbar Khan (14 April 192218 June 2009) was a Indian Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod. Trained as a classical musician and instrumentalist by his father, Allauddin Khan, he ...

. She also toured most of the North Indian Radio stations singing in chain programs with All India Radio. She was noted to have given performances in all corners of West Bengal. Besides touring within India and West Bengal, she also extensively toured in England. She performed at

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functions in places like

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, King's Cross and gave performances at Bengali communities in

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

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, Seven Sisters,

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, etc. She was interviewed by BBC London on several occasions.

Personal life

Alpana Banerjee was married to Sridhar Mukherjee and resided in

, West Bengal,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. She got married in 1959 and celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary in 2009. She is survived by two children and two grandchildren. Her daughter lives in

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and her son in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

. Notable Bengali singer

remains a close family friend .

Death

Alpana Banerjee died on 24 July 2009 at the age of 75. Many of her contemporary musicians whom she had befriended 50 years back (including

) visited and paid their last respects. Among those paying their respects were Railway minister

Mamata Banerjee Mamata Banerjee (; born 5 January 1955) is an Indian politician who is serving as the eighth and current List of chief ministers of West Bengal, chief minister of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal since 20 ...

and chief minister of West Bengal

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also known as Buddha Babu (born 1 March 1944) is an Indian Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and ...

. Despite not being actively involved in the commercial music scene for many decades, the news of her death was covered by Indian media.

Playback songs

Alpana Banerjee was a playback singer in the following Bengali films: *Bidyasagar *Sahodor *Bidhilipi *Bhangagara *Kori o Kamal *Nouka Bilas *Shubhada (she received best singer award in 1952 from the above film) *Satir Dehatyag *Satir Patalprabesh *Mathur *Saat Number Kaedi *Agnipariksha *Draupadi *Dersho Khokar kando *Kar Papey *Bhisma *Nagini Kanyar Kahini (music directed by

) *Hya *Boudir Bon *Shilpi *Lakshya Bhrasta *Personal Assistant *Nashtanir *Manmoyee Girls' School *Asampta *Dashyu Mohan *Maa o Chhele *Lakshya Heera *Rakto Sandhya *Bikram Urbashi *Chhele Kaar *Naa *Pathe Holo Deri *Ora Thake Odhare *Sagarika *Kirtigar *Chhobi *Brindaban Lila *Saheb Bibi Golam *Sandhyaraag *Ektara *Sribatsa Chinta *Adrishya Manush *Prashna *Prithibi Amare Chay She lent her voice in many more films; the above films contain her most noted songs.

Recorded Songs

These are some of her songs recorded with HMV saregama: *Mon Bolchhe Aaj Sandhyay *Ami Alpana Enke Jai *Bakulgandhe Jodi Batas *Tarader Chumki Jwale Akashe *Jodi Tomar Jibane *Eto Manjari Keno Aaj Phutechhe *Aabchha Megher Oma Gaaye *Ogo Tomay Chaowa *Papiya Keno Aar Piya Dako *Shiyarer Deep Jodi *Jetha Aachte Shudhu Nirabata *Akash Aar Ei Mati *O Guner Naiyare *Amar Shyam Shuk Pakhi Go *Ami Sundar Bole *Tomar Moner Rang Legechhe *Chhotto Pakhi Chandana *Phire Phire Chay Ke Je *Bolechhile Tumi Gaan Shonabe *Samiran Phire Chao *Matir Ghare Aaj Nemechhe Chand *Hriday Amar Sundar Tabo

Nursery Rhymes

These are some of her nursery Rhymes recorded with HMV Saregama. * Hatti Matim Tim *Moymar Ma Moynamoti *Dol Dol Duluni *Agdum Bagdum Ghoradum *Jamunaboti Saraswati *Sajalpurer Kajol Meye *Khuku Jabe Sashur Bari *Chhotto Pahki Chandana *Bideshini Kader Rani *Chandrakala Baranmala *Nache Nache Putul Nache *Otho Otho Surjai *Charka Kate Buri *Poushali Sandhya Ghoom Ghoom Tandra *Kana Machi Bho Bho *Hoi Hollar Sorgol *Chat Pot Uthe Paro *Aye Re Ay Cheler Pal

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banerjee, Alpana Bengali musicians 1934 births 2009 deaths Singers from Kolkata Women musicians from West Bengal Indian women composers 20th-century Indian women singers 20th-century Indian singers