Renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent and Ekushey Padak laureate Papia Sarwar passed away this morning (Dec 12).
She breathed her last at 8 am in a private hospital in Dhaka, said her husband Sarwar Alam.
She will be laid to rest at Banani graveyard following her Janaza after Jumma prayer tomorrow.
Papia Sarwar's health had deteriorated critically the previous night, leading doctors to place her on ventilator support. She had been battling cancer for several years, enduring a prolonged struggle with the disease.
Her elder daughter, Zara Sarwar, serves as an assistant professor of biology at the College of New Jersey, while her younger daughter, Jisha Sarwar, works as an executive in the Ministry of Finance in Canada.
Born on November 21, 1952, in Barishal, Papia Sarwar developed a passion for Rabindranath Tagore's music during her childhood. She joined Chhayanaut while in Class Six and later enrolled at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA). From 1967, she became a listed artist for both radio and television and pursued her studies in Zoology at the University of Dhaka.
In 1973, Papia Sarwar was awarded a scholarship by the Indian government to study Rabindra Sangeet at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, making her the first Bangladeshi to earn this honor and complete her degree post-independence. She had earlier trained in music under luminaries like Wahidul Haque, Sanjida Khatun, and Zahedur Rahim at Chhayanaut.
Her debut audio album, Papia Sarwar, was released in 1982, and her musical career spanned decades, captivating audiences with her unique renditions of Rabindra Sangeet. Her soulful voice and distinct style earned her widespread acclaim. She also gained fame for modern Bangla songs, with her hit track "Nai Telephone Nai Re Pion Nai Re Telegram" becoming a beloved classic among Bangla music enthusiasts.
Known for her selective approach to modern music, Papia Sarwar released fewer albums, her final one being Akashpane Hath Baralam in 2013. Her contributions to music were recognized with numerous accolades, including the Rabindra Award from Bangla Academy in 2013, the Bangla Academy Fellowship in 2015, and the prestigious Ekushey Padak in 2021.
BDST: 1208 HRS, DEC 12, 2024
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