Pulak Banerjee (Assamese singer)

Pulak Banerjee
Pulak Banerjee at ane event organized at Sankardev Kalakhetra, Guwahati Assam in 2024
Background information
Born	(1950-10-01) October 1, 1950 Guwahati, Assam
Genres	Assamese Modern Song, Film score
Occupation	Singer
Instrument	Vocal
Website	www.pulakbanerjee.in

Pulak Banerjee (Assamese: পুলক বেনাৰ্জী) is a singer from Assam. He gained popularity with the audio cassette 'Sowarni'. He has sung in numerous songs over the past five decades. He has sung as a background singer in several films. Pulak Banerjee was awarded the Best Background Singer Award by the Government of Assam in 1999. He has done playback singing for 20 Assamese films which includs Mon, Konikar Ramdhenu, Duranir Rang and Srimati Mahimamoyee.

Early life and Education

Pulak Banerjee was born on 1 October 1950 in Guwahati. His father was Prabhat Banerjee and his mother was Durgarani Banerjee. His father was from Barpeta and his mother was from Kolkata. His uncle was the Officer-in-Charge of Barpeta police station. His sister-in-law Dipti Chakraborty was also a well-known singer. Banerjee was attracted to music by listening to her mother and sister's songs. His sister took him to her song concerts. In 1969, at the age of nineteen, Banerjee began performing as a recognized singer at the Guwahati Radio Station. Banerjee attended the Paltan Bazar Bengali School. He later graduated from B. Barua College with a degree in Economics and Political Science. While in school, he participated in inter-district music competitions and won many awards. While studying for his undergraduate degree, he came into the company of college seniors Subir Mukherjee and Satish Goswami, both of whom played an important role in Banerjee's life. Subir Mukherjee was the first to apply for him to sing on the radio.

Career

His first public performance as a singer came at the early age of seven at an institution called Geetar Bitan.He won the first prize. However, his passion for singing widened when he came into contact of the doyens of Assamese music like Birendranath Datta and Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi. Gradually, Banerjee became a household name. In 1969, at the age of nineteen, Banerjee began performing as a recognized singer at the Guwahati Radio Station. Banerjee began his professional life in the banking sector when he joined the UCO bank in the 1970s. It was during this time that his first Short Play record was released by the Hindustan Musical Company. Assamese Author and lyricist Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi describes her experience of working with Banerjee in her autobiography Jeevan-Jeevan Bar Anupam. Banerjee has sung in films such as Doornir Rang, Srimati Mahimamayi, Kanikar Ramdhenu, and Shesh Upahar. Lyrics for most of his songs was written by Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, Hiren Bhattacharya and Keshab Mahanta.He is mainly popular for his melody songs. His first solo Album was Suwaroni which released in two volumes remains an all-time hit. He has 30 to 35 other albums to his credit, including Shilpi, Boyoti Noi, Kothare Geetare, Bondi Pokhilar Gaan and Pathor Simona. During his banking career, once he was transferred to Kolkata for four-and-a-half years. In Kolkata, he sang for a Bengali film Ajob Ganyer Ajob Katha directed by Tapan Sinha. Some of his Popular songs are-Moi aji shangi bihin, Paar hoi gol dhumuha ejaak, Phulore Melate etc.

Awards and Recognition

Pulak Banerjee was honoured with the Assam government’s Best playback singer of the year award for 1999. He has represented Assam at the international trade fair in Delhi. He performed in the US on an invitation by the Assamese Association of America, 2000. He also directed music for TV serials like Ritu Aye Ritu Jaye, Bijoya and a television documentary on Lakshminath Bezbarua. Pulak Banerjee has also performed at the B Barua Cancer Institute, Guwahati as the host of a program working for cancer patients and the homeless.