Indian vocalist composes raga to pay tribute to Bangabandhu on birth centenary

On the occasion of 100th anniversary of the founding father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, renowned Indian vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty composed a new raga named “Moitree” as a tribute to the Bangabandhu. The new Raag is dedicated to Bangabandhu and it comprises elements of “maitree” or India-Bangladesh friendship. The composition contains references to the 50 years of liberation of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the unique nature of the friendship between India and Bangladesh. 

Three compositions will be presented, written in Sanskrit, Hindi, and Bengali. Dr. Arindam Chakraborti, who is the Professor at the Hawaii University in the US composed the Sanskrit Raag. The Hindi lyric is composed by Dr. Susmita Basu Majumder and developed by Dr. Ravi Burman. The Bengali song, on the other hand, is written by the disciple of Pt. Ajay Chakrabarty and young maestro Anal Chatterjee. 

Gandhi Peace Prize to Bangabandhu 

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman played a vibrant role in the Civil war that led to the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan on March 26, 1971, whereafter he was first made the Prime Minister of the country. He is known as Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation'. The Government of India on Monday even conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020 on Bangabandhu in recognition of his 'outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods'. 

Moreover, PM Narendra Modi also acknowledged that "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was one of the greatest leaders of our subcontinent”. He said that 2020 marked the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and he remains an icon of indomitable courage and the tireless struggle for his millions of admirers. PM Modi is slated to travel to Bangladesh on March 25-26 where he will also be a part of the celebrations on the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu. 

(Image: Twitter/AP)