Tarapada Chakraborty Biography 
Tarapada Chakraborty was a great musician and Hindustani vocalist from East Bengal, British India. He was born in Kotalipara, Faridpur of present day Bangladesh. Tarapada was one of the leading names of Kotali gharana (School of Music). He was a purist of ragas, and was hailed as one of the most gifted vocalists in India by none other than Ustad Faiyaz Khan. He received State Academy Award from Rabindra Bharati University in 1972. He also received the most prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1972. He spent his last years in Chhaya Hindol, Kolkata and passed away on September 1, 1975. Noted young lyricist and poet Srijato is his grandson. Famous vocalist Manas Chakraborty is his son.
Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty was born on April 1, 1909 in Kotalipara, Faridpur. He was born into a musical family which has inherited music for more than a millennium years. Tarapada too earned name and fame as a vocalist who excelled in khayal and thumri form of singing, and Bangali Khayal and Raagpradhans. His name is synonymous to Kotali style of singing. He dominated Hindustani music scene in the middle of 20th century. He received initial training from his father Kaluchandra Chakraborty followed by his uncle Nyayaratna Ramachandra Chakraborty. He received training as per family tradition.
He continued his training in music from Satkari malakar, who belonged to Gwalior and Banaras Gharana. He also received training from Girija Shankar Chakraborthy. Though he came to Kolkata to learn music he was forced to return following his father’s death. In 1929 he started his career as a vocalist at the Albert Hall, Kolkata. During his struggling days he used to assist great vocalists on Tabla and performed on radio as well. He was given that opportunity by Raichand Baral. Once he got opportunity to sing in the absence of Jnan Goswami. He was a part of the troupe as a tabla artist and the rest is history!
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Updated: June 26, 2016
