Kalim Sharafi
Encyclopedia
Kalim Sharafi (8 May 1924 – 2 Nov 2010) was a Bangladesh
i Rabindra Sangeet
singer and cultural revolutionary. He gave his ideas in several publications regarding politics, culture, and Tagore. He is regarded as one of the best Rabindra sangeet singers in the subcontinent.
on 8 May, 1924. His family was a part of a pir
family who came from Sonargaon
. His passion for music blossomed at an early age as he came across with renowned artists of pre-independent India
. He said, "As a child I used to find Rabindranath
’s compositions naturally melodic and heart touching and would grasp them easily".
in 1964. He was a follower of Communism
which predominantly disheartened his musical carrier. He was banned from both of the state running media BTV and Bangladesh Betar
as a result of his political ideology. Sharafi also worked in Bangladesh Textile Corporation for a while. He is the current president of the "Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha". He was also the founder of the music school Sangeet Bhaban.
in 1985 and Shadhinota Padak
in 1999.
He received the first Rabindra Award 2010 for his contribution in promoting and preserving Rabindra Sangeet.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i Rabindra Sangeet
Rabindra Sangeet
Rabindra Sangeet , also known as Tagore Songs in English, is a form of music composed by Rabindranath Tagore who added a new dimension to the musical concept of India in general and Bengal in specific....
singer and cultural revolutionary. He gave his ideas in several publications regarding politics, culture, and Tagore. He is regarded as one of the best Rabindra sangeet singers in the subcontinent.
Early life
Kalim Sharafi was born in Birbhun village of West BengalWest Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
on 8 May, 1924. His family was a part of a pir
Pir
-Finance:Pir may refer to:* Pier 1 Imports Stock symbol NYSE:PIR, a Texas-based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor-Economics:PIR may refer to:* poverty index ratio, a measure of income relative to U.S...
family who came from Sonargaon
Sonargaon
Sonargaon is the ancient capital of Isa Khan's kingdom in Bengal. It is located near the current-day city of Narayanganj, Bangladesh....
. His passion for music blossomed at an early age as he came across with renowned artists of pre-independent India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He said, "As a child I used to find Rabindranath
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
’s compositions naturally melodic and heart touching and would grasp them easily".
Politics
Sharafi was involved in politics at the age of 18 as he joined the Quit India movement in 1942. Consequently, he was arrested by the police from his village and spent more than a year in prison with other activists.Career
Kalim Sharafi was the founding director of Bangladesh TelevisionBangladesh Television
Bangladesh Television , also known by the acronym BTV, is the state-owned Television network in Bangladesh. It started broadcasting as Pakistan Television in what was then East Pakistan on 25 December 1964. It was renamed Bangladesh Television after the independence in 1971. Broadcasts in full...
in 1964. He was a follower of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
which predominantly disheartened his musical carrier. He was banned from both of the state running media BTV and Bangladesh Betar
Bangladesh Betar
Bangladesh Betar is the state-owned radio broadcasting organisation of Bangladesh. It was also known as Radio Bangladesh between 1975 and 1996.-History:...
as a result of his political ideology. Sharafi also worked in Bangladesh Textile Corporation for a while. He is the current president of the "Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha". He was also the founder of the music school Sangeet Bhaban.
Family
Sharafi married Noushaba Khatun and have five children including one son and four daughters.Death
Kalim Sharafi died at his residence on Tuesday 2 November, 2010 at the age of 86. He had been suffering from old age complications.Honors
Sharafi was awarded Ekushey PadakEkushey Padak
Ekushey Padak is one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement of 1952 that took place on February 21, 1952.-2001:*Shah Abdul Karim...
in 1985 and Shadhinota Padak
Independence Day Award
The Independence Day Award , also termed Independence Award , is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh. Introduced in 1977, this award is bestowed upon Bangladeshi citizens or organizations in recognition of substantial contribution to one of many fields, including the War...
in 1999.
He received the first Rabindra Award 2010 for his contribution in promoting and preserving Rabindra Sangeet.