Himangshu Dutta

Himangshu Dutta
হিমাংশু দত্ত
British India
Nationality	British-Indian
Occupation(s)	Music composer, music director, singer, musician

Himangshu Dutta (

awarded him the title 'Surasagar' (Sea of Music) for his contribution to Bengali music. He himself was an accomplished singer as well.

Early life

Himangshu Dutta was born in

Calcutta University

.

Jogendrachandra was very fond of music and many eminent musicians of Comilla used to visit his house in a regular manner. This not only helped child Himangshu to listen quality classical music at his very young age but also to get closer to various forms of music like

, Lokogiti, and other various local music forms of Comilla.

Himangshu Dutta's mother was also a noted singer of that time and she used to sing

Rabindrasangeet

to her sons and daughters. Himangshu Dutta received the first lessons of music from his mother.

Himangshu Dutta learned Dhrupad from Acharya Shyamacharan Dutta and Bhajan from Ustad Khasru Miya, and Pandit Khitimohan Sensashtri. He also received training on classical music from his elder brother Shachindra Dutta.

Journey as musician

Before reaching his teenage, Himangshu Dutta started singing Brahmasangeet and Bhajan in different local functions at Comilla.

In the year 1922 Himangshu Dutta composed music for a song whose lyric was written by his classmate Subodh Purkayastha (subodh purkayastha er gaan). Himangshu sang the song in a function of his school. The duo, Himangshu and Subodh, later gave the Bengali audience a vast number of super-hit songs.

In 1923 Rabindranath Tagore visited Comilla and the young boy sang Rabindrasangeet in a public function in front of Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath appreciated it very much.

Beside having a deep interest in music composition, Himangshu Dutta was an avid notation writer from the very young age. He wrote notations for various musicians including

also mentioned this in his writing.

In 1928, Himangshu met singer Dr. Sudhamadhab Dutta. Next year, Dr. Dutta sang two songs composed by Himangshu at

audience got the taste of Himangshu Dutta over radio. From this point onwards, Sudhamadhab continued singing "Himangshu Dutta-er Gaan", broadcast by All India Radio every Sunday.

In the year 1931

released the first record based on the composition of Himangshu Dutta. The artist was Haripada Roy. In the same year, the company also published another record from its HMV division where Sati Devi was the singer, and Himangshu emerged as a star in the history of so-called modern Bengali songs.

Himangshu started using both Indian classical music and western harmony to bring a complete new type of music in the history of Bengali music composition. Beside composing music for basic Bengali, Ghazal, and Ragapradhan, he also composed music for a number of Bengali as well as Hindi film songs. In the year 1934, he entered the world of film industry through the film called "Taruni". In the next ten years he worked as composers in many Bengali as well as Hindi films.

Himangshu Dutta composed music for various lyricists like Subodh Purokayastha, Ajay Bhattacharyya, Sailen Roy, Sunirmal Basu, Mamata Mitra,

also recorded his songs.

His compositions for songs like "Aloko Andhar Jetha Kore Khela", "Alo Chaya Dola", Champa Chameli Beli", "Chand Kohe Chameli Go", "Chameli Melo Ankhi", "Tumi Je Andhar", "Tomari Potho Pane Chahi", "Nishithe Chole Himelo Bai", "Boroshar Megh Name", "Bidayer Sesh Bani", "Birohini Chiro Birohini", "Jodi Dokhina Pobono Ashiya", "Rater Deule Jage", and many others will remain as favourites to the audience of Bengali songs forever.

Himangshu Dutta died on 15 November 1944 at the age of 36.

Filmography

Film Name	Year
Taruni	1934
Dakhyajagya	1934
Tulshidas	1934
Bidrohi	1935
Pravash Milan	1935
Avhinay	1938
Parashmani	1939
Rukmini	1939
Swami Stri	1940
Path Bhule	1940
Abatar	1941
Sri Radha	1941
Nandini	1941
Bhakta Kabir	1942
Jiban Sangini	1942
Pati Puja	1943
Bhai Chara	1943
Avisar	1943
Janani	1943
Paper Pathe	1943
Samaj	1944
Sandhya	1944
Bandita	1945
Griha Laxmi	1945

References

• Himangshu Dutta, Aajkal,
  ISBN 978-81-7990-073-4

External links

• Kabir Suman and Himangshu Dutta-er Gaan
• Himangshu Dutta-er Gaan
• Protham Arunpraate – Songs Of Himangshu Dutta
• subodh purkayastha er gaan