Renuka Dasgupta

Renuka Dasgupta (née Sengupta; 22 August 1910 - 1 January 1991) was a Bengali singer, considered one of the best-known exponents of the songs of Atulprasad Sen. She was a direct disciple of Atulprasad Sen, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Dilipkumar Roy.

Renuka Dasgupta
Dasgupta in 1949
Background information
Born	(1910-08-22)August 22, 1910 Konnagar, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	1 January 1991 Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Genres	Atulprasadi, Thumri, Nazrulgeeti, Rabindra Sangeet, Bhajan
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1925 – 1972
Labels	Hindustan Records (INRECO), HMV(Saregama)

Early life

Born in Konnagar, West Bengal Renuka Dasgupta lived in Gaya, Dhaka and Calcutta. A cousin of Sahana Devi, Atulprasad Sen, Kanak Biswas(née Das).[1] Renuka Dasgupta taught Music in Kamrunnesa Girls High School at Tikatuli, Dhaka in the late 1920s. She married Hirendra Chandra Dasgupta a graduate engineer of Bengal Engineering Collegein the early 1930s and settled permanently in Calcutta. She was associated with the radio audition committee of AIR, Calcutta.

Early work

With Cousin Kanak Biswas 1985

In 1932, three Indian recording companies were born in Calcutta out of a nationalistic urge to compete with the British-owned Gramophone Company of India. One of these was Hindusthan Records. The owner C.C.Saha requested Rabindranath Tagore to record some songs and recitations. From those recordings was published the first record H1. Atulprasad Sen recorded two songs which were published in the second record H2. The third record H3 had the songs 'Jodi gokulachandra braje na elo' (kirtan) and 'Pagla montare tui bandh' (Atulprasad) sung by Renuka Sengupta. Sale for this record reached an unprecedented high mark, such was the popularity of these songs.[2]

Contrary to popular, belief "Jodi gokulachandra braje na elo" is not written by Atul Prasad Sen. She was also trained by Kazi Nazrul Islam - recorded 2 songs under his tutelage, Krishna Chandra Dey - the recorded song was "Aye Bhikharin Premnagar Ke Pritam Pritam Bole".In 1935 she was trained by Sailajaranjan Majumdar to sing Rabindrasangeet chosen for her by Rabindranath Tagore. She went on to record 5 Rabindrasangeets' in her career.[3]

(list incomplete)

Recorded Rabindrasangeet

1. Diner Pore Din Je Gelo (1935)
2. Aamaar Ki Bedonaa (1935)
3. Basante Basante Tomar Kobi Re Dao Dak
4. Koto Katha Tare Chilo Bolite [3]
5. Tomaro Shurer Dhara

Recorded Nazrulgeeti

1. Kon rosh jomuner kule
2. Shukshari tonumon momo

Recorded Songs of Atul Prasad

1. Pagla Monta Re Tui Bandh 1932
2. Emono Badole Tumi Kotha
3. Nid Nahi Akhi Pate
4. Esho Dujaney Kheli
5. Ohe Jagatkaron 1969/70
6. Chaa(n)dni Raatey
7. Amaar Chokh Be(n)dhey Bhober Khelay
8. Jodi Tor Hrid Jamunaa
9. Ke Go Gaahiley
10. Ogo Saathi Momo Saathi
11. Shuktara Tomar Chholo Chholo Akhi
12. Amar paran kotha jay
13. Se dake amare 1969/70
14. Ki ar chahibo balo 1969/70
15. Tobo ontoro eto monthoro
16. Srabone ghono ghota
17. Aaj Amar Shunya Ghore
18. Krondeshi potho charini

Recorded Songs of Other Genre (list incomplete)

1. Jodi Gokulochandra Braje Na Elo - Kirtan
2. Aye Bhikarin Prem Nagar Ki
3. Ki Roop Dekhinu Kaalaa - Jnanadas - Kirtan
4. Dine dine din je chole jay - Bhatiyali
5. Nandanandana chande chandana - Kirtan
6. Madhaba tunhu rahali re madhupur - Kirtan
7. Khomiyo he he shib

References

1. Interview with Renuka Dasgupta by Subhas Chowdhury
2. A Space of Her Own :Personal Narratives of Twelve Women
3. Abismaraniyo Rabindrasangeet vol 1

• Gulati, Leela (2005), "Matriliny within Patriliny", A Space of Her Own :Personal Narratives of Twelve Women, Sage Publications (CA), Renuka Dasgupta, who took Bengali listeners by storm with her one song *Jodi Gokulochandra Braje Na Elo* that is still remembered by generations even after a passage of eight decades. She shot into fame and became virtually a household name.

• Abismaraniyo Rabindrasangeet vol 1 (Audio CD/ Cassette). Saregama. 2003.