# Sandhya Mukherjee

Geetashree Sandhya Mukherjee (also spelled Mukhopadhyay; 4 October 1931 – 15 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and musician, specialising in Bengali music. She received Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian honour of the Indian state of West Bengal in 2011. She also won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her songs in the films Jay Jayanti and Nishi Padma in the year 1970.

## Early and personal life

Mukherjee was born in Dhakuria, Calcutta, on 4 October 1931 to Narendranath Mukherjee, a railway official, and Hemprova Devi. She was the youngest of six children. Her grandfather was a police officer, and the family had lived in Dhakuria since 1911. She was married to noted lyrist Shyamal Gupta, until his death in 2010. She has a daughter named Soumi Sengupta.

## Training & career

Sandhya started her music training under the direction of Pandit Santosh Kumar Basu, Professor A T Kannan, and Professor Chinmoy Lahiri. However, her guru was Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, followed by his son Ustad Munavvar Ali Khan, under whom she mastered Indian classical music. According to Manorma Sharma, "Sandhya has been able to maintain her popularity as a classical vocalist even after acquiring the gloss and the glow of playback singing ..."
Though classically trained, the bulk of her work consists of Bengali modern songs. She began her career in Mumbai singing Hindi songs, starting with a song in the film Taarana in 1950. She sang, as a playback singer, in 17 Hindi films. She decided to come back to and settle in her home city Kolkata in 1952 for personal reasons. She married Bengali poet Shyamal Gupta in 1966. Gupta went on to write the lyrics for many of her songs.
Her best known collaboration is arguably with the Bengali singer Hemanta Mukherjee with whom she sang numerous duets, primarily as playback for Bengali films. Hemanta and Sandhya became known as the voices behind the pairings of the Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar and his numerous heroines, most notably being the actress Suchitra Sen, whose singing voice she became. Besides Hemanta Mukherjee's compositions, her largest body of work is with Robin Chattopadhyay and Nachiketa Ghosh.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War she joined the mass movement among Indian Bengali artistes to raise money for the millions of refugees who had poured into Kolkata and West Bengal to escape the fighting, and to raise global awareness for the cause of Bangladesh. She assisted Bangladeshi musician Samar Das as he set up the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, the clandestine radio station broadcasting to Bangladesh and recorded several patriotic songs for him. On the occasion of the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the imprisoned leader of the new country of Bangladesh, she released a song Bangabandhu Tumi Phirey Ele. She later became one of the first foreign artists to visit Dhaka, performing at an open-air concert in Paltan Maidan in Dhaka to celebrate the first Ekushey February after Bangladeshi independence in 1971.
On 26 January 2022, on the Republic Day and a few days before testing positive for COVID-19, Mukherjee was awarded the Padma Shri for her performance in music. However, she refused the award, labelling it "disparaging and degrading". Mukherjee died of cardiac arrest and COVID-19 complications at a private hospital in Kolkata on 15 February 2022, at the age of 90.

## Songs

| Year | Film | Music director | Song(s) | Language |
| 1945 | Non Film | Girin Chakrabarti | “Tumi firaye diyachho”, “Tomar akashe jhilmil kore” | Bengali |
| 1948 | Anjangarh | R C Boral | "Ab Nahi Dharat Dheer Dheer" | Hindi |
| 1948 | Anjangarh | R C Boral | “Ramdhun”, “Gun gun mor gaan” | Bengali |
| 1948 | Sabyasachi | Robin Chattopadhyay | | Bengali |
| 1948 | Samapika | Robin Chattopadhyay | “Manusher mone bhor holo aj”, “Protima goriya debota cheyechhi”, “Amare loye je”, “Ami shudhu bangi” | Bengali |
| 1948 | Abhiman | Ramchandra Pal | | |
| 1949 | Bidushi Bharja | | | |
| 1949 | Chota Bhai | Pankaj Mullick | “Ramdhun” | Hindi |
| 1949 | Swami | Hemanta Mukherjee | | Bengali |
| 1950 | Pehla Admi | R C Boral | | Hindi |
| 1950 | Non Film | Shyamal Mitra | "Ogo mor geetimoy" | Bengali |
| 1951 | Sazaa | S D Burman | "Aa Gupchup Gupchup Pyar Karen" "Ye Baat Koi Samjhaye Re" | Hindi |
| 1951 | Taraana | Anil Biswas | "Bol Papihe Bol Kaun Hai Tera Chitchor" | Hindi |
| 1952 | Izzat | Bulo C Rani | "Ishq Me Ho Jao Barbaad" "Kya Kya Sitam Sahe Hain Do Din Ki Zindagi Me" "Tera Jhoomta Shabaab Jaise" | Hindi |
| 1953 | Baaghi | Madan Mohan | "Jungle Mangal" | Hindi |
| 1953 | Ek Do Teen | Vinod | "Aa Jaa Re Balam Tujhe Meri Kasam" | Hindi |
| 1953 | Fareb | Anil Biswas | "Udaasiyon Me Nazar Kho Gai" | Hindi |
| 1953 | Husn Ka Chor | Bulo C Rani | "Dheere Dheere Dil Me Samaa" "Dil Lagaane Wale Apne Se Hazaaron Hain" "O Jaane Waale Kisi Ka Salaam Leta Jaa" "O Sangdil Zamaane Mujkhe Kyun Rulaata Hai" | Hindi |
| 1954 | Manohar | S Venkat Raman | "Aayee Basant Ritu Aayee Bahaar Leke" "Doob Gaye Sab Aas Ke Taare" "Rut Hai Suhaani Raat Jawan Hai" "Sukh Bhari Duniya Meri Barbaad Jo" | Hindi |
| 1956 | Jaagte Raho | Salil Choudhary | "Maine Jo Lee Angrayee Teri Mehfil" | Hindi |
| 1966 | Mamta | Roshan | "Tose Naina Laage Re Saanwariya" | Hindi |
| 1970 | Jai jayanti | | "Jhana jhanana Sur jhankare" | Bengali |
| | | | "Mone Mone Gatha Mala" | |
| | | | "Shaon Elo Oi Thoi Thoi" | |
| | | | "Projapoti Mon Amar" | |
| | | | "Tumi Nahoy Rahite Kachhe" | |
| | | | "Mor Bhiru Se Krishnakali" | |
| | | | "Madhumaloti Dake Aay" | |
| | | | "Polash Amar Krishnachura" | |
| | | | "Bashi Go Bole Papiya" | |
| | | | "Lalita Go Bole Di" | |
| | | | "Holud Gandar Phool" | |
| | | | "Ei Sanjhjhara Lagane" | |
| | | | "Dhanya Hobo Je Ami" | |
| | | | "Ebare Bujjechi Ami" | |
| | | | "Ami Tomare Bhalobesechi" | |
| | | | "Mayabati Meghe Elo Tandra" | |
| | Non film | | "O Re Jeenewale" | |
| | | | "Ogu Sindur Ranga Megh" | |
| | | | "Shankha Bajiye Make" | |
| | | | "Ni Sa Ga Ma Pa" | |
| | | | "Piya Piya Piya Ke Dake Amare" | |
| | | | "O Bak Bakum Paira" | |
| | | | "Badho Jhulona" | |
| | | | "E Je Bangla" | |
| | | | "Tumi Je Amar Pratham Rater" | |
| | | | "Aha Ki Misti" | |
| | Saptapadi | Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay | "Ei Path Jadi Na Sesh Hoy" | |
| | | | "He Sagar Keno Tomay Nil Dekhi" | |
| | | | "Aaj Keno O Chokh Lal" | |
| | | | "Ke Tumi Amare Dako" | |
| | | | "Gane Mor Kon Indradhanu" | |
| | | | "Boro Derite Tumi" | |
| | | | "Tumi To Janona" | |
| | | | "Champa Chameli" | |
| | | | "Se Gan Jai Je Bhule" | |
| | | | "Boro Derite Tumi Bujhle" | |
| | | | "Ogo Momo Prano Hay" | |
| | | | "Ore O Bijan Baner Pakhi" | |
| | | | E Shudhu Ganer Din" | |
| | | | "Kichhu Khushi Kichhu Nesha" | |
| | | | "Moner Madhuri Mishaye" | |
| | | | "Shuno Shuno Ei Raat" | |
| | | | "Aar Dekona Ei Modhu Name" | |
| | | | "Tari Bhese Jay" | |
| | | | "Na Jani Kon Chhande" | |
| | | | "Sharame Jorano Akhi" | |
| | | | "E Sundar Ratri" | |
| | | | "Ekti Sukher Neer" | |
| | | | "Prabhat Surja" | |
| | | | "Aaj Holi Khelbo Shyam" | |
| | | | "Ore Sokal Sona" | |
| | | | "Bah Chharata To Besh" | |
| | | | "Shyamal Barani Ogo Kanya" | |
| | | | "Prantateri Gaan Amar" | |
| | | Salil Chowdhury | "Ujjal Ekjhak Payra" | |
| | | | "Shraban Ajhare Jhare" | |
| | | | "Aay Bristy Jhepe" | |
| | | | "Jare Ja Phire Ja" | |
| | | | "Gungun Mon Bhomra" | |
| | | | "Jibone Ja Kichu Chilo" | |
| | | | "Jodi Naam Dhore Take Daaki" | |
| | | | "Godhulir Shanto Chhayay" | |
| | | | "Ke Jeno Pother Majhe" | |
| | | | "Guru Guru" | |
| | | | "Sajani Go Kotha Shono" | |
| | | | "Sajani Go Sajani" | |
| | | | "Kichu Aar Kahibo Na" | |
| | | | "O Neel Neel Payra" | |

## Bengali film songs

| Year | Film | Song | Composer(s) | Lyricist | Co-singer |
| 1950 | Se Nilo Biday | "Tobo Moner Modhubone" | Subal Dasgupta | | solo |
| 1950 | Se Nilo Biday | "Amar Surer Dheu Legechhe" | Subal Dasgupta | | solo |
| 1955 | Hrad | "Chand Dube Gele" | Manabendra Mukhopadhyay | | solo |
| 1955 | Sabar Uparey | "Ghum Ghum Chand" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1955 | Sabar Uparey | "Janina Phurabe Kobe" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1956 | Asamapta | "Bauri Hoyeche Aaj Sreeradha" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | solo |
| 1956 | Asamapta | "Monobeena Baaje" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | solo |
| 1956 | Asamapta | "Eto Bhabini Konodin" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | solo |
| 1956 | Ekti Raat | "Kakon Bole Shrimoti Tobe" | Anupam Ghatak | | solo |
| 1956 | Ekti Raat | "O Bashi Daake" | Anupam Ghatak | | solo |
| 1956 | Ekti Raat | "Prodiper Shikha Keno Kaape" | Anupam Ghatak | | solo |
| 1956 | Ek Din Ratre | "Se Gaan Ami" | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | solo |
| 1956 | Shankar Narayan Bank | "Etodin Pore Tomaro Poth" | Anupam Ghatak | | solo |
| 1956 | Trijama | "Pakhir Kujon Kunje" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1956 | Trijama | "Dhup Chirodin" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1956 | Trijama | "Jhiri Jhiri Piyaler" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1956 | Trijama | "Matite Chandramallika" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1956 | Raat Bhore | "Bone Noy Mone Aaj" | Satinath Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1956 | Raat Bhore | "Rimjhim Jhim Taale" | Satinath Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1956 | Shilpi | "Tumi Je Amar" | Robin Chatterjee | Pranab Raha | solo |
| 1956 | Shilpi | "Nupurer Gunjone" | Robin Chatterjee | Pranab Raha | solo |
| 1957 | Chandranath | "Mor Bheeru Se Krishnokoli" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1957 | Jatra Holo Shuru | "E Gaan Gaoa Mor" | | | solo |
| 1957 | Jatra Holo Shuru | "Jadubhare Naina Tore" | | | solo |
| 1957 | Pathe Holo Deri | "Polash Aar Krishnachura" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1957 | Pathe Holo Deri | "Ei Sajhero Logone" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1957 | Pathe Holo Deri | "Tumi Nahoy Rohite Kachhe" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1957 | Pathe Holo Deri | "E Shudhu Gaaner Din" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1959 | Sonar Harin | "Ei Je Chander Alo" | Hemanta Mukherjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1961 | Saptapadi | "Ei Poth Jodi Na Shesh Hoy" | Hemanta Mukherjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | Hemanta Mukherjee |
| 1961 | Saptapadi | "Ei Poth Jodi Na Shesh Hoy" (female) | Hemanta Mukherjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1962 | Bipasha | "Ami Swapne Tomay Dekhechi" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1962 | Bipasha | "Klantir Poth" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1962 | Bipasha | "Rojoni Pohalo" | Robin Chatterjee | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1963 | Bhrantibilas | "Tumi Ki Sei Tumi Nao" | Shyamal Mitra | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1963 | Deya Neya | "E Gaane Projapotir" (part 1) | Shyamal Mitra | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1963 | Deya Neya | "E Gaane Projapotir" (part 2) | Shyamal Mitra | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1963 | Uttar Falguni | "Kaun Tarah Se Tum" | Robin Chatterjee | Traditional | solo |
| 1963 | Uttar Falguni | "Tum Chatur" | Robin Chatterjee | Traditional | solo |
| 1963 | Uttar Falguni | "Zindagi Ki Ek Bhool Thi" | Robin Chatterjee | Traditional | solo |
| 1963 | Uttar Falguni | "Tore Naina Lage" | Robin Chatterjee | Traditional | Chhaya Devi |
| 1965 | Alor Pipasa | "Minoti Mor Tomar Paaye" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1965 | Alor Pipasa | "Aaja Piya" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1966 | Notun Jibon | "Ami Tomare Bhalobeshechi" | | | solo |
| 1966 | Notun Jibon | "Tomare Bhalobeshechi" | | | solo |
| 1966 | Uttar Purush | "Moner Dewale Chirodin" | Manabendra Mukhopadhyay | Shyamal Gupta | solo |
| 1967 | Antony Firingee | "Tunhu Mamo Monopran Hey" | Anil Bagchi | | solo |
| 1967 | Antony Firingee | "Ghiri Ghiri Aai" | Anil Bagchi | | solo |
| 1967 | Antony Firingee | "Ami Je Jalsaghare" (female) | Anil Bagchi | | solo |
| 1967 | Antony Firingee | "Champa Chameli Golaperi Baage" | Anil Bagchi | | Manna Dey |
| 1967 | Gar Nasimpur | "Je Golap Kaantar Ghaye" | Shyamal Mitra | | solo |
| 1967 | Nayika Sangbad | "Aji Chonchol Mon" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1967 | Nayika Sangbad | "Ki Mishti Dekho" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1967 | Nayika Sangbad | "Keno E Hridoy" | Hemanta Mukherjee | | solo |
| 1969 | Kamallata | "O Mon Kokhon Shuru" | Robin Chatterjee | Pranab Roy | Shyamal Mitra |
| 1969 | Kamallata | "Se Bine Aar Janena" | Robin Chatterjee | Pranab Roy | Shyamal Mitra |
| 1969 | Kamallata | "Niyon Mohon Shyam" | Robin Chatterjee | Pranab Roy |
| 1969 | Kamallata | "Kohe Chondidas" | Robin Chatterjee | Traditional |
| 1969 | Kamallata | "Ham Abhagini Tahe Ekakini" | Robin Chatterjee | Chandidas |
| 1969 | Kamallata | "Tomar Gorobe Gorobini" | Robin Chatterjee | Mahajan Padabali |
| 1969 | Pita Putra | "Teer Bedha Pakhi" | Pabitra Chattopadhyay | | solo |
| 1969 | Pita Putra | "Probhuji Tumi Dao Dordhon" | Pabitra Chattopadhyay | | solo |
| 1969 | Pita Putra | "Tumi Koto Sundor" | Pabitra Chattopadhyay | | solo |
| 1969 | Pita Putra | "Raag Je Tomar Mishti" | Pabitra Chattopadhyay | | Hemanta Mukherjee |
| 1970 | Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant | "Phooler Marshum Chandni" | Shyamal Mitra | Pranab Roy | solo |
| 1970 | Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant | "Malatir Kunjabone Bhramarer Gunjarane" | Shyamal Mitra | Pranab Roy | solo |
| 1970 | Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant | "Dure Jadi Chale Jaai" | Shyamal Mitra | Pranab Roy | Shyamal Mitra |
| 1970 | Nishi Padma | "Ore Sokol Sona Molin Holo" | Nachiketa Ghosh | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1971 | Shakuntala | "Dekhogo Priya Dekhona" | Kalipada Sen | Saral Guha | solo |
| 1972 | Jiban Saikate | "Keno Je Ke Jaane" | Sudhin Dasgupta | | solo |
| 1973 | Dhire Bohe Meghna | "Koto Je Dhire Bohe Meghna" | Samar Das, Satya Saha | Mohammad Moniruzzaman | Hemanta Mukherjee |
| 1974 | Fuleswari | "Hay Hay Hay Hay" | Hemanta Mukherjee | Pulak Banerjee | Aarti Mukherjee |
| 1975 | Hongsoraaj | "Namah Mata Saraswati" | Sudhin Dasgupta | | Aarti Mukherjee, Tarun Banerjee |
| 1976 | Priyo Bandhobi | "Emon Ekti Golpo Bolte Paro" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | solo |
| 1976 | Rajbongsho | "Mohuate Hoyna Nesha" (female) | | | solo |
| 1976 | Rajbongsho | "Chol Chol Phire Chol" | | | Arundhati Holme Chowdhury |
| 1976 | Sudur Niharika | "Aaj Ei Raat Jolshar Raat" | Manabendra Mukhopadhyay | Shyamal Gupta | solo |
| 1976 | Sudur Niharika | "Ahoto Pakhi" | Manabendra Mukhopadhyay | Shyamal Gupta | solo |
| 1977 | Ajasra Dhanyabad | "Tumi Je Amari Gaan" | Shyamal Mitra | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1977 | Praner Thakur Ramkrishna | "Ogo Nororupi Bhogoban" | | | solo |
| 1977 | Praner Thakur Ramkrishna | "Mon Amar Krishno" | | | solo |
| 1978 | Punarmilan | "Ebare Bujhechhi Ami" | Kalipada Sen | | solo |
| 1980 | Priyatama | "Bhaibon Dujoner Sneho" | Shyamal Mitra | | Shyamal Mitra |
| 1980 | Putul Ghor | "O Akash" | | | solo |
| 1980 | Sujata | "Jodi Chand Aar Surjo" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | Aarti Mukherjee |
| 1980 | Sujata | "Bashi Bajbena Keno" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | solo |
| 1980 | Upalabdhi | "Golaper Ator Achhe" | | | solo |
| 1981 | Kalankini | "Payel Bedhechhi Paaye" | Shyamal Mitra | Gouriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1981 | Kalankini | "Amar E Buke Kanna" | Shyamal Mitra | Gouriprasanna Mazumdar | solo |
| 1982 | Sonar Bangla | "Ei Je Bangla" | Neeta Sen | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | Hemanta Mukherjee |
| 1982 | Sonar Bangla | "Ekdin Chhilo Je Bharote" | Neeta Sen | Gauriprasanna Mazumdar | Sudhin Sarkar |
| 1982 | Rajbodhu | "Aaju Rong Khelatu" | Abhijeet Banerjee | | solo |
| 1984 | Abhishek | "Keno Mala Dile" | Nachiketa Ghosh | | Shyamal Mitra |
| 1993 | Prithibir Shesh Station | "Khachar Pakhira Aaj" | Rabi Bandyopadhyay | | solo |
| 2000 | Reenmukti | "Shanto Nodita Aaj" | Abhijeet Banerjee | | Saikat Mitra |
| 2000 | Reenmukti | "Jokhon Brishti Ase" | Abhijeet Banerjee | | solo |

## Non-film songs

| Year | Film | Song | Composer | Lyrics | Co-singer |
| 1975 | Down Memory Lane : Music of Kamal Dasgupta | "Mon Niye Priyo" | Kamal Dasgupta | Pranab Roy | solo |

## Urdu film songs

| Year | Film | Song | Composer(s) | Lyricist | Co-singer |
| 1960 | Humsafar | "Aankhen Chhalke Mera Dil Dhadke" | Mosleh Uddin | Shair Siddiqui | solo |
| 1960 | Humsafar | "Sanwariya O Sanwariya Re" | Mosleh Uddin | Shair Siddiqui | solo |

## Awards

* Padma Shri in 2022 (refused)
* Banga Bibhushan in 2011.
* Bharat Nirman Award - Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.
* National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the songs "Amader Chuti Chuti" Jay Jayanti and "Ore Sakol Sona Molin Holo" Nishi Padma in 1971.
* BFJA Awards - Best Female Playback Singer for Sandhya Deeper Sikha in 1965
* BFJA Awards - Best Female Playback Singer for Jay Jayanti in 1972
* Bachsas Awards - Best Female Playback Singer for Dhire Bohe Meghna in 1973
* Honorary D.Litt. from Jadavpur University, Kolkata in 2009.
* Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1993, by Govt of Madhya Pradesh

## Death

On 27 January, Sandhya Mukherjee was admitted to SSKM Hospital with breathlessness and was later transferred to Apollo Gleneagles Hospital since she was COVID-19 positive. She also had lung infections, hypotension, ischemic heart disease, multi organ dysfunction and a fracture at her left femur. She was showing progressive improvement in her treatment, became COVID-19 negative and underwent a successful femoral surgery on 11 February. In the morning of 15 February, she was transferred to the intensive care unit for sudden severe abdominal pain and hypotension, following which she died at 7.30pm of the same day following a cardiac arrest. One of the nurses of the hospital reported that she had the cardiac arrest at the time of listening to "Ei shohor theke aro onek dure", a popular Bengali song by Manna Dey, with whom she sang numerous duets. She was cremated at the electric pyre of Keoratola crematorium with full state honours.