Entertainment Desk

Eminent singer Anup Ghoshal, whose voice has immortalised the songs in maestro director Satyajit Ray's films “Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen” and “Hirok Rajar Deshe,” died in Kolkata today at the age of 77, his family said.

Ghosal was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in south Kolkata for the past several days for age-related ailments and died due to multi-organ failure at 1.40 pm. He is survived by two daughters.

A prolific singer, Ghosal, inspired by her mother Labannya Ghosal, proved his versatility in the songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam, Rabindranath Tagore and Shyama sangeet and modern Bangla songs.

His rendition of the songs 'Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen' and 'Hirok Rajar Deshe' have delighted generations of listeners cutting across ages. Who can forget the numbers like “Aha ki anando akashey batashe.” “Mora goopi bagha dujon bhaira bhai,” “maharaja tomare salam,” and “paye pori bagh mama/koronato raag mama?”

Director Tapan Sinha also used Ghosal’s voice in his film “Sagina Mahato” starring Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu.

One of Ghosal’s most memorable songs is 'Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi' in the 1983 Hindi film 'Masoom’ featuring Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah.

Ghosal had a brief stint in politics too. He had successfully contested the 2011 assembly polls from Uttarpara constituency near Kolkata as a candidate of West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress.

Condoling Ghosal’s death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said "I express my deep grief and condolence over the death of Anup Ghosal who had sung in Bengali, Hindi and other languages. His passing away is a big loss to Bangla music world.”

The West Bengal government honoured the singer with Nazrul Smriti award in 2011 and Sangeet Mahasamman award in 2013.