Ramkanai Das

Pandit Ramkanai Das is a legendary folk music maestro of Bangladesh. Born in 1935 in Sunamgunj District and brought up in a traditional music loving family to father Rashiklal Das, and mother, Divya Mayi Das, both of who were folk singers, lyricists, and composers, Pandit Ramkanai Das is also one of the best exponents of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music, especially the Kheyal, in Bangladesh.
Pandit Rampanai Das trained in Hindustani Classical Vocal Music under Kalimohan Chakrabarty and in Tabla under Shri Shurendramohan Sutradhar. In 1967, he commenced his musical career as a Tabla player and a regular performer of classical, semi-classical, modern, and Nazrul Sangeet exponent for the Sylhet Radio. He has won admiration by accompanying prominent artists such as Ustad Bahadur Hussain Khan (Sarod player), Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, and Ustad Fateh Ali Khan on the Tabla. However, since Pandit Ramkanai Das was determined to become a full-fledged Classical vocal artist, he relinquished playing the Tabla and underwent intense training for twelve years in Hindustani Classical Vocal Music under the guidance of Pandit Umesh Chandra Roy.
Pandit Ramkanai Das has released several audio albums like “Bondher Banshi Baje (2004)”, “Shurodhhunir Kinarai (2005)”, “Oshomoye Dhorlam Pari (2006)”, and “Pagla Majhee (2010)”. In the year 2007, he released a book entitled “Shorol Shongeet Shikhha” on lessons of Classical Music. In the year 2010, his biography “Shongeet O Amar Jibon” was released by Nobojug Prokashony, “Surer Pathik”, a documentary film produced on the life and works of Pandit Ramkanai Das, was released by Laser Vision in the year 2011.
Pandit Ramkanai Das is the proud winner of the Bangla Academy Fellowship in 2011 and the Rabindra Padak in 2000 for his devotion to music. He has also received “Ustad Mozammel Hussain Smrity Podok” in 1997, “Ustad Mosharraf Hussain Smriti Podok” in 2007 and the “Urboshi Podok” in 1999. He has also been felicitated by the “Dhrubo Porishod”, “Shudhho Shongeet Proshar Goshthi” and “Srihotto Bramho Shomaj” in 2008, “Sangeet Parishad, New York” and “Shunamganj Jela Shomiti, New York” in 2009. “Shahjalal Biggyan o Projukti Bishhobiddyaloy” (Shikor) and “Shomokal Shuhryd Shomabesh” (SUST) has conferred on him Lifetime Achievement Awards for his contribution to music in 2009. Pandit Ramkanai Das has also made remarkable contribution to Bangla music and literature by collecting lost and forgotten songs of Bangladesh and recording them with their original lyric and tune.

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