A Correspondent
Tezpur: Pankaj Bordoloi, the incredibly talented and influential singer-songwriter passed away here at a private hospital on Friday in the morning. He was of 60 years and suffering from prolonged illness.
The well-known singer played a remarkable role in preserving the songs of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and Bishu Prasad Rabha. He was born on December 24, 1960 at Binduguri in Sonitpur district. His special song Jaya Nai.. Jaya Nai… of Bishnu Prasad Rabha and famous modern song which had super hit cassettes during 1990 decade, Ako Sarighat.
He was also a prolific folk singer of Assam. Bordoloi has sung diverse folk songs like, Tokari geet, Bihu geet, Golpariya Loka geet and many others. For his unique contributions in promoting Jyoti Sangeet and Rabha Sangeet in their purest forms, Bordoloi was conferred the Swabhab Shilpi Amulya Kakati Memorial Award in 2019 by the Students-Artistes-Litterateur Welfare Trust of the All Guwahati Students’ Union (AGSU), the Guwahati wing of AASU.
Pankaj Bordoloi also performed with music maestro Sudhakant Dr. Bhupen Hazarika on several stages across the State functions and most notably in one famous music cassette named Swadex. Recently, he acted in Zubeen Garg’s blockbuster movie Kanchanjangha.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condoled the death Pankaj Bordoloi. In a statement here, Chief Minister Sonowal said, “Pankaj Bordoloi who lent his artistic calibre in multidimensional facets right from singing to acting, enriched the cultural landscape of the state with his contributions. He popularised ‘Jyoti Sangeet’, ‘Rabha Sangeet’ among the younger generations. Even during Assam Agitation, he motivated the people by his cultural acuity. His death is an irreparable loss to the society. I convey my sympathy to the bereaved family members and pray to the Almighty for eternal peace of the departed soul.” Tezpur Xahitya Xabha, Sonitpur Press Club, Baan Theater, Tezpur AASU, Sonitpur Journalists’ Union and hundreds of cultural activists, social workers, members of various cultural groups and organisations, local artistes and local MLA Brindaban Goswami, Deputy commissioner Manbendra Pratap Singh paid floral tributes to him.
All Assam Students’ Union chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya, president Dipankar Komar Nath and General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi offered deep condolence.
In his condolence message, veteran actor, Mridul Chutia said, “Pankaj Bordoloi’s contributions to the growth of Assamese society in the State would be remembered for generations to come. He was not only a singer and actor but also a very amiable person and the contribution he had made in the field of social and culture were truly outstanding and unforgettable.”
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