Popular Bengali singer-cum-music director Pratul Mukhopadhyay died of age-related ailments at a state-run hospital in Kolkata on Saturday (February 15). The 82-year-old singer was admitted to the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for quite some time. A medical board was formed for his treatment. Pratul Mukhopadhyay Dies: Well-Known Bengali Singer and Songwriter Passes Away at 82 After Prolonged Illness; CM Mamata Banerjee Expresses Grief.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took personal initiatives to ensure the best treatment facilities for the singer and went to SSKM recently to enquire about his health conditions. However, all efforts by the doctor to ensure the recovery of Mukhopadhyay proved futile, and he died at 10 AM at the hospital. Incidentally, the death of Mukhopadhyay coincides with the death anniversaries of two other legendary personalities from the state's music world, namely Sandhya Mukhopadhyay and Bappi Lahiri.

Pratul Mukhopadhya was born on June 25, 1942, in Barisal, in undivided Bengal, now part of Bangladesh. His father was a schoolteacher. After the partition, his family shifted to Chinsurah in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, where the singer spent his childhood. From a very young age, he was attracted to music, and when he was just 12, he composed the tune of a folk song scripted by Mangalacharan Chattopadhy. Sukri Bommagowda Dies: Renowned Kannada Folk Singer, Padma Shri Awardee Passes Away at 88 in Mangaluru.

His passion for the Bengali language was evident in the song "Ami Banglai Gan Gai" (I sing in Bengali). His passion for folk music was evident in songs like "Ami Dhan Katar Gan Gai" (I sing the song of harvesting paddy). The Chief Minister, in a message, expressed condolences over Mukhopadhyay's death.  "I met the deceased singer at the hospital where he was admitted a few days back. His death is an irreparable loss for the music world of West Bengal. I express my heartfelt condolences to the family members of Pratul Mukhopadhyay," the Chief Minister's statement read.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 15, 2025 03:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).