Aradhana Dey: In fond remembrance

Jamshedpur, July 23: With the demise of Aradhana Dey, music lovers in the steel city have lost someone who was devoted to the cause of classical music. She breathed her last on July 20 at the Tata Main Hospital last week, after prolonged illness.

Born in 1942, Dey was not only a good artiste but also an educationist. She was the head of the music department at the Jamshedpur Women?s College.

But at the same time, she was also involved in other cultural organisations such as Tagore Society, Rabindra Bhavan and Sangeetayan.

Her associates remember her as a person devoted to music and its cause.

Ranjeet Singh Gabri, a sitar player of Jamshedpur, said Dey was one of the rare artistes who had got A-grade in semi-classical music from the All India Radio. Gabri has learnt classical music from Ustad Vilayat Khan.

?I knew her for about 15 years and I was very impressed with her style of singing. Not only was she a good artiste, but also a very good human being,? recalls Gabri. ?She used to organise sittings at her home quite often where different artistes used to perform,? he said.

Honoured by personalities like late Dr Radhakrishnan, Indira Gandhi and first Bihar chief minister Srikrishna Sinha, Dey taught mathematics and Bengali, besides giving lessons on music in Jamshedpur Women?s College.

She also served the Ranchi University as the examination controller. She came into limelight in 1972 when she stood second in the national level khayal singing competition, following which she was honoured by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She was also honoured by Srikrishna Sinha at a music conference held in Jamshedpur.

Recognising her talent in the field of music, the Bihar government had recommended her name for the Padma Shree award also but she could not make it to the auspicious award due to some ?technical hurdle? relating to her age, recall her associates.

?It is a great setback for the artistes community of the steel city. She will always be remembered for her artistic as well the human qualities. Her contribution to the field of culture will always be remembered by the music lovers of Jamshedpur,? said another associate.

Dey had started her musical career from her childhood when she got music lessons from her father late Phani Bhushan Dey. She did her Sangeet Praveen from the Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad under the guidance of the late Pt L. Rana.