Folk tribute to maestro Amar Pal on his 96th birthday on May 19

Remember the famous song Kotoi rongo dekhi duniyae composed by Satyajit Ray for Hirak Rajar Deshe?

The folk song was sung by Amar Pal, the senior most folk artist in Bengal. He will turn 96 years on May 19. To celebrate his birth anniversary, three well-known folk singers and researchers Tapan Roy, Pranesh Shom and Samir Aich have organised a programme in Birla Academy. Pal will be present at the function.

Bibhas Chakraborty, well known theatre personality will also be present at the function where the artists will present folk songs to pay respect to the maestro.

Apart from Ray, he had worked with famous film director of the yesteryears like Dibaki Kumar Basu and also with Rituparno Ghosh. Pal was the first folk artist in All India Radio, Kolkata whose song was aired in 1951.

Pal lost his father at the age of 10 andhe age of 10 and learnt the basics of folk music from his mother Durgasundari. He was born in Brahmanberia now in Bangladesh which is an important centre for folk culture now. He took lessons in classical music from Ayat Ali Khan for eight years. Khan was the younger brother of Baba Alauddin Khan. Pal is one of the pioneers in popularising folk music.

After Independence, Pal came to Kolkata in 1948 and again took lessons of folk music from Suren Chakraborty, Mani Chakraborty and Nanigopal Bandopadhyay.

Besides being a folk artist, Pal is a well-known composer and has composed folk songs used in many Bengali films.