Veteran Rabindra Sangeet exponent Purba Dam dies

Kolkata: Noted Rabindra Sangeet singer Purba Dam died of a massive heart attack at her South Kolkata residence early on Saturday morning. She was 85 and is survived by her husband and daughter.

Condoling her death, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recalled her cordial relation with Dam and said her death would create a vacuum in the world of Rabindra Sangeet. The state government had awarded Sangeet Samman to her in 2013 in recognition to her contribution to Rabindra Sangeet. She extended her grief to the bereaved family, her friends and admirers.

Dam complained of acute chest pain and breathing difficulty early on Saturday morning. She breathed her last before the doctors could start treatment.

Born in the Raj family of Susang, now in Bangladesh, she received her training in Rabindra Sangeet from Suchitra Mitra. In the 1980s, she became one of the chief exponents of Tagore's songs because of her distinctive "gayaki".

A true disciple of legendary Suchitra Mitra, Dam regaled listeners with her rendition of songs like Modhur tomar sesh je na pai prohor holo sesh/Bhuban jure roilo lege anando abesh, Ami phirbo na re in her distinctive style and became a known face among the audience in the 80s.

Her rendition and control over her voice had enthralled the audience both in the country and abroad. Her elder brothers were Professor Surajit Sinha, Vice-Chancellor of Visva Bharati University and Professor Debabrata Sinha, well-known philosopher.

Rabindra Sangeet exponent Sumitra Sen said in a statement "Purba Dam has gone to the divine world of music, she left behind a rich repertoire of songs."