No matter how tumultuous one’s life may be, happy memories are probably what one treasures the most. And I am no exception. In fact, when I trawl though my personal trove of such sparkling recollections, I realise that quite a few of them have to do with my grandfather. Considering that I was a mere…
Pankaj Mullick Music and Art Foundation
Pankaj Mullick Music and Art Foundation is a non-profit organization engaged in the preservation, promotion and propagation of the cultural heritage of India, with a focus on Bengal. Established in 2005, to mark the birth centenary of Pankaj Kumar Mullick, to whom the Foundation is dedicated, it started off by archiving and digitizing all available works of Pankaj Mullick which included his legendary songs and compositions, his photographs, the scripts he wrote, the films he acted in, press clippings featuring him, documentaries on him and such material across mediums.
Over the next decade and a half, Pankaj Mullick Music and Art Foundation has also organized over 200 events comprising music concerts, commemorative events, art camps, art exhibitions, workshops, plays, seminars, conferences and film screenings among others. These events and programmes have been held in Kolkata, other places in India as well as abroad.
Pankaj Kumar Mullick
-The Music Maestro
Known as Pankaj Kumar Mullick in his native Bengal, he was renowned across the rest of India and the world simply as Pankaj Mullick. A music composer and singer par excellence, Pankaj Mullick was also an actor, a playwright, a writer, a teacher, an administrator and above all a kind, gentle, magnanimous and extremely humble person.
His career at All India Radio spanned 50 years, while his career in Indian films was spread over 38 years. With nearly 5,000 songs and compositions to his credit along with nearly 150 films, Pankaj Mullick’s contribution to the world of Indian films and Indian popular music was awe-inspiring.
Famous for several pioneering activities in the realm of music, his brilliance was rightly celebrated during his lifetime. Despite the fact that more than four decades have passed since he breathed his last, Pankaj Mullick is still remembered and revered as an artiste of rare genius. His creations are evergreen and his legacy – immortal.
Born on May 10, 1905 Pankaj Mullick left the mortal world behind on February 19, 1978.
Program Repertoire
Pankaj Mullick Music and Art Foundation has over time built up a repertoire of programmes comprising varied themes and presentations. These programmes, have been presented across India and abroad and have not only been appreciated by the attending audience but have also been praised by the media.
The popular programmes are :
TITLE | THEME |
---|---|
The Legend of Pankaj Mullick | Songs and compositions of Pankaj Mullick accompanied by interesting anecdotes along with rare photographs and videos |
Mahishashurmardini | Representation of the famous Mahalaya programme either in the form of an oratorio or accompanied by dance |
Gitanjali – Song Offerings | Presentation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel Prize winning work through songs and recitations |
Ashruto Rabindranath (Tagore unheard) | Poems written by Tagore and set to tune by Pankaj Mullick in the form of songs and intermittent recitation |
Folk Era | Folks songs from across Bengal and from parts of India |