Oriya singers Mahaprasad Kar and Pranab Pattnaik present a song on the occasion of the 71st birth anniversary of Sikander Alam at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, July 28: The enchanting voice of Sikander Alam, who was better known as ‘Sur Badhshah’, was remembered and missed at a cultural event held on Wednesday evening to pay tribute to the late singer on his 71st birth anniversary. Musicians and connoisseurs got together at Rabindra Mandap to sink in the waves of immortal melodies sung by Alam.

The event was titled Sapanara Pathe Pathe after one of his most memorable songs, Sapanara pathe pathe sandhyare dine gali. It also received the maximum applause when sung by Sourav Nayak, Karunakar and Susant Panda.

Young singers as well as stalwarts gathered to refresh the memories of Alam’s romantic numbers as well as devotional songs, which earned him a unique identity in the world of music in Orissa.

His singer daughter Nazia Alam, who has already made her mark in the field of classical music, began the evening with her father’s most popular bhajan, Arata sure bare kare. Soon, veteran musicians like Keshab Rout weaved magic of yesteryears by rendering 20 songs sung by the late singer. These included Brundabane ki bansi bajila, Chandrika tume, Bana pakshi jhurere, Dele dhara katha sare and many others.

“I love the romantic songs sung by Sikander Alam. Listening to these songs gives solace and pleasure even today. Sadly, today we do not have many singers who have the same magic in their voices,” said a young viewer, Pradipta Swain. The programme was organised by the Sikander Alam Foundation.

“We will increase the frequency of musical events to keep his memory alive as well as pull the younger towards Oriya music,” said his elder daughter and member of the foundation, Sofia Alam.

Culture minister Prafulla Samal, who was present on the occasion, said the department of culture would celebrate the birth anniversary of the prolific singer from next year.