Kolkata, 06 October (H.S.) :

Eminent Rabindra Sangeet exponent Bibha Sengupta passed away on Monday at a private hospital in Kolkata following age-related complications. She was 94.

Prominent singer Srabani Sen confirmed the news of her demise, stating that Sengupta breathed her last around noon. According to family sources, she had been dealing with fluctuating hemoglobin levels that required periodic blood transfusions, though she did not suffer from any chronic ailments. Following the hospital formalities, her mortal remains were brought to her Mandeville Gardens residence for admirers and disciples to pay their last respects.

Her demise has triggered widespread mourning across Bengal’s cultural fraternity, with artistes and cultural figures expressing profound grief over the loss of one of the veteran custodians of Tagore's musical legacy.

Originally hailing from Tripura, Sengupta relocated to Kolkata in 1959 to pursue music. Over the decades, she trained extensively under Maya Sen before honing her craft under the tutelage of the legendary maestro Debabrata Biswas, whose distinct musical phrasing and depth deeply influenced her renditions.

Mourning her demise, noted musician Aloke Roychowdhury recalled that the cultural organisation Lokbharati had felicitated Sengupta at her residence on September 29. He noted that she appeared vibrant, cheerful, and engaged in spirited conversations just days before her health deteriorated.

Roychowdhury observed that despite dedicating her entire life to music, Sengupta received wider public recognition only during the twilight of her life, over the past decade. He remarked that she remained indifferent to fame and media limelight, focusing instead on grooming generations of students with quiet dedication, honouring her guru Debabrata Biswas with unyielding reverence, and staying completely detached from commercial competition alongside contemporaries such as Suchitra Mitra, Kanika Banerjee, and Nilima Sen.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh