Odisha: ‘Rangabati’ music composer Prabhudatta Pradhan passes away

Sambad English Bureau Published On : May 28, 2018 at 10:32 AM Updated On : May 28, 2018 at 3:04 PM

Sambalpur: Veteran music composer of popular Sambalpuri song ‘Rangabati’ Prabhudatta Pradhan passed away following prolonged illness here in the wee hours today.

Pradhan was 74. He breathed his last at around 4.30 am at a nursing home in Sambalpur. He is survived by wife and two sons Ashish and Aseem.

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Born on November 11, 1943, Pradhan started learning music at the age of only 3. He learnt Tabla in Uttar Pradesh. He had been working as an instrumentalist at Akashvani in Sambalpur since 1969.

Pradhan rose to fame in the most popular song ‘Rangabati’, lyric by Mitrabhanu Gountia and sung by Jitendra Haripal and Krishna Patel in the year 1975.

He composed thousands of Sambalpuri songs for broadcast on AIR, Sambalpur. Pradhan also worked as resource person in the Radio serials ‘Lokdhara’ and ‘Lokbadya’ produced by Sambalpur AIR.

He was active in field of music for 45 years. The veteran rhythm player of Odisha having expertise in percussion instruments like Dhol and Mandal contributed for propagation and popularisation of Sambalpuri music throughout the world.

Pradhan has bagged total 14 prestigious awards for his contribution in field of Samabalpuri song and music.

He was conferred Akashvani Annual Awards for the Sambalpuri musical production ‘Gaon ke jima chaal’ in 2001, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2002, Paschim Odisha Sanskruti Samman by Sambalpur University in 2006, Nuakhai Samman by Odisha Sanskrutik Samaj, Sambalpur in 2009, Shree Jagannath Puraskar by Nikhila Utkals Sangeet Shilpi Parishad, Cuttack in 2009, Talavadya Samman by Mardam Academy, Bhubaneswar in 2011, Padmashree Dr Sir Izac Santra Samman by Smruti Committee in 2011, Arundhati Samman by Arundhati Kala Sansad, Sambalpur in 2013. Kadambini Awards-2013, Juhar Samman in New Delhi in 2015, Pratistha Samman at Burla in 2015, Lifetime Achievement by JUhar Parivar in Bengaluru in 2016, Odisha Living Legend Award-2016 in Bhubaneswar and Dalkhai Samman by Dalkhai Foundation in Bengaluru in 2017.

Prabhudatta Pradhan Rangabati