Protul Chandra Sorcar (23 February 19136 January 1971) was an Indian magician. He was an internationally active

magician Magician or The Magician may refer to: Performers * A practitioner of magic (supernatural) * A practitioner of magic (illusion) * Magician (fantasy), a character in a fictional fantasy context Entertainment Books * ''The Magician'', an 18th-ce ...

throughout the 1950s and 1960s, performing his ''Indrajal'' show before live audiences and on television. Sorcar died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

at the age of 57 in Asahikawa,

Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, on 6 January 1971, where he was performing.

Career

Sorcar became famous in the mid-1930s, when he performed shows in

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

and also in

and several other countries. Among other routines, he performed a Floating Lady routine featuring

aerial suspension The aerial suspension, ethereal suspension or broomstick illusion is an illusion in which the performer appears to be suspended in mid-air for some minutes, with either inadequate support or no apparent support of his or her weight. This trick wa ...

in 1964.

Ganapati Chakraborty Ganapati Chakraborty ( bn, গণপতি চক্রবর্তী; 1858 – 20 November 1939) was a magician from Kolkata known for his mesmerizing tricks. He is considered to be the pioneer of modern magic in Bengal. He was the mentor of P. ...

was his mentor. His self-appointed title was 'TW'sGM' - The World's Greatest Magician.

Personal life

Sorcar was married to Basanti Devi. They were the parents of the

animator An animator is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video gam ...

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

and laserist Manick Sorcar and magicians

P. C. Sorcar Jr. P. C. Sorcar Jr. (formal name Prodip Chandra Sorcar; born 31 July 1946) is an Indian magician based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He is the second son of Indian magician P. C. Sorcar. He is also the recipient of Merlin Award in Magic. He hold ...

and P. C. Sorcar, Young.

Awards

* ''Jadusamrat P.C. Sorcar Sarani'' The Government of India has named a major street in Calcutta after him *

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

(the Lotus), awarded by the President of India on 26 January 1964 * ''The Sphinx'' (Oscar of Magic), US, 1946 and 1954 * ''The Royal Medallion'', German Magic Circle

Postage stamp

Stamp of India - 2010 - Colnect 259552 - P C Sorcar

On 23 February 2010, India Post issued a commemorative stamp to honour him.

Publications

*''Magic for You'' (1966) *''More Magic for You'' (1965) *''History of Magic'' (1970) *''Indian Magic'' (1983)

References

External links

P.C. Sorcar International Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sorcar, P.C. 1913 births 1971 deaths Historians of magic Indian magicians Artists from Kolkata Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts People from Tangail District P.C. Ananda Mohan College alumni