প্রতিমা চন্দ্র মেমোরিয়াল অ্যাওয়ার্ড – ২০১৬

It was a unique opportunity for 27 promising female Hindustani Classical Vocalists to prove their mettle at the maiden Pratima Chandra Memorial Award 2016 held from the 3rd to 5th of November, 2016 at the Seminar Hall of Science City, Kolkata. This music-filled event, organised by Pratima Chandra Foundation, in association with The Dover Lane Music Conference and The Dover Lane Music Academy.

Sri Bappa Sen, General Secretary of The Dover Lane Music Conference mentored and arranged this competition for Hindustani Classical vocalists. With the supportive management of The Dover Lane Music Conference, the Foundation introduced the event through display advertisements in leading dailies, inviting talented vocalists specializing in Kheyal and Thumri (Jat & Aadhaa Taal). By the end of the first week of October a sizeable pool of talented vocalists responded and ultimately twenty-seven got selected for the final round.

The eminent judges who graced the event were Pandit Falguni Mitra, Pandit Mohanlal Mishra and Vidushi Subhada Paradkar – each of them authorities in their respective musical domain.

Each of the participants was given an opportunity to demonstrate their talent and perform in front of the eminent judges along with their choice of supporting instruments. Each Audition had a brief interactive session either at the beginning or at the end.

3rd November: The contestants –

Silpi Das Biswas || Swyamduti Majumdar || Vedantika Chatterjee Mukherjee || Debasri Chakraborty || Shibani Halder || Sreemati Mukherjee Das || Tanula Chakrovorty || Gopa Biswas || Minakshi Karmakar || Bithika Roy || Priyanka Dutta

4th November: The contestants –

Asmita Patraa || Nilanjana De || Ananya Bandopadhyay || Bhumika Trivedi || Priyanki Chakrovorty || Soma Maitra

5th November: The contestants –

Atri Kotal || Sanjukta Das || Soumi Majumdar || Siboli Das || Sampurna Deb || Pallabi Ghatak || Bansari Dutta (Mukherjee) || Srijoni Bhattacharya Mukherjee || Titas Chatterjee || Sohini Singha Majumdar

Congratulations!! In the competition Smt. Atri Kotal won the First Prize. The Second Prize was won by Smt. Nilanjana De. Smt. Sohini Singha Majumdar won the Third Prize.

  • The prizes were conferred by Sri B. K. Chandra, President of The Dover Lane Music Conference and the Chairman of P. C. Chandra Group, at the inauguration of the 65th Dover Lane Music Conference at Nazrul Mancha, Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata on January 22, 2017.

    PRATIMA CHANDRA MEMORIAL AWARD 2016, Judges Details

    পণ্ডিত ফাল্গুনী মিত্র

    Pandit Falguni Mitra

    A foremost exponent of Dhrupad, the authentic and respected form of Hindusthani Classical music, Pandit Falguni Mitra was initiated into music by his father, Sangeetacharya Pandit Shib Mitra at the tender age of four and a half. Pandit Falguni Mitra combines the Dagar style of “Alaapchari” with the Betia style of Dhrupad and Dhamaar with a distinctive stamp of his own personality.

    Possessing a deep, melodious voice, Falguni Mitra has brought about a reformation in this art-form through successful innovations in its melodic structure and rhythmic variations. Unwavering purity of the Raga, imaginative phrases loaded with emotions and nuances, majestic compositions and intricate “laykari” create an aesthetic charm that permeate his vocal renderings.

    An erudite and thoughtful musician, Falguni Mitra receives unqualified appreciation for his lecture-demonstations and articles in various journals in the country and abroad.

     

    পণ্ডিত মোহনলাল মিশ্র

    Pandit Mohanlal Mishra

    One of the famous Raag Marwa vocalist.

    Pandit Mohanlal Mishra is one of the greatest vocalists of Hindustani Classical Music. Son of Late Gayancharaya Pandit Damodar Mishra, he is now among the living legends of Indian Classical Gayakii and a legendary figure of ‘Benaras Gharana’. Pandit Mishra is well known for his exposition of Ragas, Bandishes, accompanied by complex Tan, Laykari and Gayakii.

     

    বিদুষী শুভদা পারাদকার

    Vidushi Subhada Paradkar

    Pandita Shubhada Paradkar is now quite well known to the music lovers throughout the country and abroad also. Both the critics and the “Rasiks” remember her for “Aggressive Gayaki” and proficiency in the “Layakari” which is rarely seen in the female vocalists today.

    While her formal music instructions include a M.A. (Music), degree from S.N.D.T. University Mumbai, she has also had the benefit of individual tuitions from different Gurus at different points of her career. Pandita Shubhada Paradkar possesses the unique distinction of learning under all the four major Gharanas of Hindustani Classical Music, which has made her distinctive in the present generation of the artistes.

    She is regularly guiding senior students in S. N. D. T. University, Mumbai and Lalit Kala Kendra at Pune University through her workshops and Lecture Demonstrations. She has guided students in Bangkok and given performances at different places in Thailand including Bangkok.

    Apart from being a regular performer over Radio (Mumbai) and different channels on Television she has performed throughout the country as well as abroad.

    Her concerts are full of lively interaction with the rhythm and also she makes excellent use of semi-classical varieties like Thumri, Bhajan. ‘Tappa’ is another Ace in her concert.

    PRATIMA CHANDRA MEMORIAL AWARD 2016, Winners Details

    1st Prize: Atri Kotal, Kolkata.

    • Expertise: Hindustani Classical Music (Vocal)
    • Training: Have Trained Under Ustad Jainul Abedin, Smt. Mandira Lahiri, Sri Shyamal Lahiri, Pandit Biresh Roy.
    • Achievements: Recorded Own Album Of Devotional Songs

    2nd Prize: Nilanjana De, Kolkata

    • Expertise: Benaras Gharana (Vocal)
    • Tabla Training: Have Trained Under Ustad Masqoor Ali Khan, Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan, Guru Gopal Srestha, Ustad Jainul Abedin, Vidushi Purnima Chowdhury, Sri Kaushik Sen.
    • Achievements: Performed In Different Functions

    3rd Prize: Sohini Singha Majumdar, Kolkata

    • Expertise: Hindustani Classical Music (Vocal)
    • Training: Have Trained Under Sri Rabindranath Chattaraj, Smt. Sanghita Mojumdar, Pandit Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyaya, Vidushi Purnima Choudhury, Vidushi Dahlia Raut, Vidushi Suranjana Bose.
    • Achievements: Performed In Various Places.