Ajoy Chakrabarty
Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty (born 25 December 1952) is an Indian Hindustani cl*ical vocalist, composer, lyricist and gurudev of the Patiala-Kasur gharana. He is considered to be one of the proverbial figures of Indian cl*ical music. He has also dominated for other major cl*ical genres of India especially—Indore, Delhi, Jaipur, Gwalior, Agra, Kirana, Rampur and even Carnatic music in South India. He was given Padma Bhushan Award, the third highest civilian award in India in 2020.
Contents
- 1 Early life
- 2 Singing career
- 3 Personal life
- 4 Films
- 5 Awards
- 6 References
- 7 External links
Early life
Ajoy Chakrabarty was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was raised with his brother in Shyamnagar. His younger brother, Sanjay Chakraborty, is a lyricist and composer.
He graduated top of his cl* in music, both in B.A and M.A. from the Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata and joined the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in 1978 as its first scholar. Today he is one of the youngest gurus of this academy.
His father was his first Guru. He then studied with Pannalal Samanta, Kanaidas Baigari and Jnan Prakash Ghosh.
Besides that, he had learnt from Latafat Hussain Khan, Nibruttibua Sarnaik, Hirabai Barodekar and in Carnatic styles from M. Balamuralikrishna, that kept enriching his musical expression and repertoire. Despite having such pure cl*ical "taleem" in the Khyal genre, he also renders lighter forms such as Thumri, Tappa, Bhajan, Kirtan, Folk, Film/Non-Film and modern songs, in several different languages.
He has received several prestigious awards including the Padma Shri (2011), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Delhi, 1999–2000), *ar Gandharva National Award (1993) and the Best Male Playback Singer Award (Bengali Film "Chhandaneer" 1990) ("For bringing the rare depth of emotion, adorned by his command on the cl*ical idiom") and National Tansen Samman 2015 - by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. He has also received felicitations from both the former and present Chief Ministers of his own State, West Bengal. In 2012, Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee conferred him the Maha Sangeet Samman and the Banga Bibhushan, two of the State's highest awards. In 2015 he has received Guru Jnan Prakash Ghosh Lifetime Achievement Award.
He also was awarded honorary citizenship in New Orleans, after performing with jazz musicians at Preservation Hall, the birthplace of jazz music.
Singing career
He is a recipient of the Padma Shri (2011) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Delhi, 1999–2000) and the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1989- in Bengali Film "Chhandaneer" 1989.
He was the first Indian cl*ical vocalist to be invited by Pakistan and China and by BBC for their Golden Jubilee Celebration of India's Independence.
He has performed in some of the most prestigious venues around the world such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, New Orleans Jazz Preservation Hall in the US, the Royal Albert hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in the UK and Theatre de la Ville in France. In addition to that, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty performed at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada in 2018 for the Raag-Mala Music Society of Toronto.
Inspired by the ideals of his Guru Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Chakrabarty founded Shrutinandan, a school of music.
Personal life
Chakrabarty is married to Chandana Chakraborty. Their daughter, Kaushiki Chakraborty, is also a vocalist of Hindustani cl*ical music. Their son, Ananjan Chakraborty, is a sound engineer.
Films
Awards
- National Award – 1989
- *ar Gandharva Award – 1993
- Sangeet Natak Akademi award – 2000
- Padmashree – 2011
- Banga Bibhushan – 2012
- Alva's Virasat Award – 2012
- Pandit Omkarnath Thakur Shastriya Sangeet Award - 2014 - 2015
- Padma Bhushan 2020
References
External links
- Ajoy Chakrabarty Official Website
- Ajoy Chakraborty in Asavari
- Ajoy Chakraborty: Live on BBC
- Ajoy Chakrabarty Biography and discussion forum