Sandhya Mukhopadhyay is a famous Indian singer and musician, specializing in Bengali music. She was born in Kolkata and started her music training under the direction of Pandit Santosh Kumar Basu, Professor A Kannan and Professor Chinmay Lahiri. Sandhya Mukhopadhyay`s guru was
Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan under whom she mastered Indian classical music. Although classically trained, Sandhya Mukhopadhyay has sung countless Bengali modern songs. She is primarily known for her melodious modern songs in her mother tongue.
Sandhya Mukhopadhyay began her career in Mumbai singing Hindi songs as a playback singer with a song in the film Anjan Garh at the age of 17. After her marriage to the Bengali poet Shyamal Gupta she settled in her home city of Kolkata, while her husband went on to write the lyrics for many of her famous songs, she was to first singer to sing them in her harmonious voice. Her most famous collaboration is probably with the Bengali singer
Hemanta Mukherjee with whom she sang countless duets, primarily as playback for
Bengali films produced from
Kolkata.
Hemanta and
Sandhya became known as the voices made for each other and their duets were often paired behind the Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar and his numerous heroines. She also sang several of
Salil Chowdhury`s hit Bengali songs, including Ujjwal Ek Jhank Payra, regarded as a classic.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Sandhya Mukhopadhyay joined the mass movement among Indian Bengali artistes in order to raise money for the millions of refugees who had come to Kolkata and West Bengal to escape the fighting. She tried hard to raise global awareness for the cause of Bangladesh. She assisted Bangladeshi musician Samar Das when he was trying to set up the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro, the clandestine radio station broadcasting to Bangladesh and recorded several patriotic songs for him. Sandhya Mukhopadhyay released a famous song Bangabandhu Tumi Phirey Ele on the occasion of the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the imprisoned leader of the new country of Bangladesh.
Later Sandhya Mukhopadhyay became one of the first foreign artistes to visit Dhaka to perform at an open-air concert in Paltan Maidan in Dhaka to celebrate the occasion of first Ekushey February after Bangladeshi independence in 1972. Sandhya Mukhopadhyay also recorded several songs for Samar Das`s film Dhirey Bohey Meghna and
Salil Chowdhury`s Raktakta Bangla.
Famous Bengali Songs by Sandhya Mukhopadhyay
| Ujjwal Ek Jhank Payra |
Dhirey Bohey Meghna |
Aami Je Jalshaghore |
Guru Guru Guru Megh Gorojey |
Ami Tar Cholonay |
| E Path Jadi Na Shesh Hoy (with Hemanta Mukherjee) |
Ay Brishti Jhenpey |
Tonhu Momo Mono Praan He |
Jaa Re Jaa Phire Jaa |
Ki Mishthi Dakho Mishthi |
| Ghum Ghum Chad |
Gohono Raatri Ghoney |
Sonkho Baajiye Maa Ke Ghore |
Aami Shudhu Banghi Jaani Naa To Goritae |
Mayaboti Megher O Tondro |
Hindi Songs by Sandhya Mukhopadhyay
| Anjangahr (1948) - Ab Nahin Dharat Dheer Dheer |
Sabya Sachi (1948) - Aayi Meri Jawaani Ki Sanjh Suhani , Dil Bhi Udaas Udaas Chaman Bhi Udaas |
Taraana (1951) - Bol Papihe Bol Re Tu Hai Kaun Mera Chitchor (with Lata Mangeshkar) |
Mamta (1966) - Tose Naina Laage Re Sanwariya |
Chimni Ka Dhuan (1973) - Beet Jayegi Umariya Ye Phir Na Milegi |
Hindi Songs from Bengali Films by Sandhya Mukhopadhyay
| Uttar Falguni in 1963 - Kaun Taraje Tum Khelat Holi Dekho Lala |
Alor Pipasa in 1965 - Aaja Piya Mohe Nindiya Na Aaye |