Bhubaneswar, Aug 18: The first Odia radio artiste of All India Radio (AIR) Sanjukta Roy is no more.
Roy breathed her last on August 15 at 91 due to geriatric related problems.
Roy was an avid Hindustani Vocalist who had created a special space in the audiences’ hearts, for intoning a number of popular songs viz Udigale Gendalia Jhadidei Para, Bata Chhada Subhatta Nagara, Jamunaku Jibi Nira Aniki, Baga Baguli among a series of folk, and classical bits of songs.
Sanjukta had started her career as an Odia Vocalist in the AIR Cuttack Station in 1948, who had even sung the opening song at the launch of the radio station. Her performance here was lauded by one and all. Thereafter, she began performing regularly for AIR-Cuttack, Bombay and Delhi stations. For her contribution to the field of music, AIR-Cuttack felicitated her on several occasions apart from various other cultural organisations.
A disciple of classical instrumentalist late Ustad Haafiz Ali Khan Saheb of Gwalior, Sanjukta was allowed to perform in many key programs of the AIR across the nation. It was former chief minister Harekrushna Mahatab who encouraged her to go to Mumbai (Bombay then) to learn classical music and she was awarded a scholarship by the Odisha government in 1954 to undergo intensive training under established masters and gurus in Hindustani classical music.
