Anup Ghoshal

Anup Ghoshal was an Indian playback singer and composer in Hindi and other vernacular Indian films, especially Bengali-language. He was known in his native Bengal primarily as one of the foremost artists of the golden age of Nazrulgeeti (c. 1930s–1970s). He started his music training at the age of 4 under the guidance of his mother and later learned from various eminent teachers such as Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty, Sangeetacharya Sukhendu Goswami, Debabrata Biswas, and Manindra Chakraborty. He also received guidance from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and his son Ustad Munavvar Ali Khan in Indian classical music. He was a master of various genres such as Thumri, Kheyal, Bhajan, Ragpradhan, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrulgeeti, Dwijendrageeti, Rajnikanter Gaan, modern Bengali songs, and folk songs. He earned a university degree in Humanities from Asutosh College, Kolkata and a Master's degree and Ph.D. from Rabindra Bharati University. His thesis was titled "Nazrulgeeti — Roop O Rashanabhuti". He was a National Scholar and a gold medalist in Sangeet Bharati Degree Examination. He participated and won many music competitions in his student life. He made his debut as a playback singer at the age of 19, when he sang for the movie Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, written and directed by Satyajit Ray. He continued his association with Ray as a singer and an assistant music director for several films. He won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for his songs in the film Hirak Rajar Deshe in 1981. He sang for various Bengali and Hindi movies, as well as in Bhojpuri and Assamese films. He was best known for his soulful rendition of the song "Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi" from the 1983 film Masoom. He also sang many popular songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh. He visited many countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, and Germany for musical concerts and cultural programs. He also joined politics and became a Trinamool Congress MLA from Uttarpara constituency in 2011. He was honoured with the Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian award of West Bengal, in 2011 and the Sangeet Mahasamman in 2013. He passed away on 15 December 2023 due to multi-organ failure at the age of 78. He was survived by his wife Sutapa Ghoshal and son Sourav Ghoshal.