City pays rich tributes to composer Salil Chowdhury
The Statesman | 20 November 2025
The birth centenary of music composer Salil Chowdhury began in the city today.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her X handle paid rich tributes to Salil Chowdhury on his birth anniversary.
A programme titled ‘Saat Range Swapne’ was held at Kala Mandir this evening where Kavita Krishnamurthy, Usha Uttup and Hoimanti Shukla sang the songs of Chowdhury.
Chowdhury joined the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and in 1948 he composed a song Kono Ek Gayer Bodhu based on the famine of 1943. His friend, Hemanta Mukherjee, also an active member of the IPTA, sang the song and it was a hit. Chowdhury composed a poem Runner by Sukanta Bhattacharya. Palkir Gan, based on the ordeal of the palanquin bearers, was an instant hit.
Lata Mangeshkar sung many songs which were written by Chowdhury. Saat Bhai Chmapa was her second song in Bengali followed by Na jeo na and Jare Jare Ure Pakhi.
Salil Chowdhury-Hemanta Mukherjee duo had produced many immortal songs which included Ami Jharer Kache, Path Harabo Bole Ebar, Duranto Ghurnir , Amay Prashna Kore. Mukherh’s Bengali song Mon Matal Sanjh Sakal was hugely popular.
Sandhya Mukhopadhyay had sung an immortal song which was composed by Bimal Ghosh and the lyric was made by Chowdhury, namely, Ujjal Ek Jhak Payera. Dwijen Mukherjee had sung a very popular song Pallabini go sancharini while Dhannanjay Bhattacharya had sung two immortal songs composed by Chowdhury, namely Jhir Jhir Jhir Barasa, which was used in Bengali feature film Pasher Bari and Jhana na jhana baje.
Manna Dey had sung a song Baje Go Bina, which was used in Bengali feature film Marjina Abdallah.
Chowdhury got all-India fame after his popular tunes in Bimal Roy’s Madhumati, Aja Re Pardesi and Ghari Ghari Mera Dil Dharke became instant hits.
Jane man jane man, sung by Yesudas, is an all-time hit song. Chowdhury has composed many songs in Tamil and Telugu films.