Pratima Pandey

Pratima Barua Pandey (3 October 1935 – 27 December 2002), hailing from the royal family of Gauripur in Assam’s Dhubri district, was a trailblazing folk singer who rejuvenated the fading tradition of Goalpariya lokageet. Best known for her enchanting songs Hastir Kanya and Mur Mahut Bandhure, she became the cultural voice of the Rajbanshi community, transcending borders into Bengal, Bihar, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Born in Kolkata, Pratima completed her early education at Gokhale Memorial School before continuing at Girls’ High School, Gauripur. Although trained in Rabindrasangeet, she never underwent formal folk training—her passion was ignited by her father, Prakitesh Chandra Barua.

Pratima’s breakthrough came in 1955, when Dr. Bhupen Hazarika heard her folk renditions at a local jalsa. He recognized her talent and championed her art, predicting that her voice would propel Goalpariya songs into the Assamese mainstream.

During the politically tense 1950s–60s, as Rajbanshis in Assam and West Bengal wrestled with shifting linguistic identities, Pratima’s music offered a cultural anchor. She preserved the dialect of historic Goalpara, now divided into multiple districts, through her emotive singing.

In 1961, under Dr. Hazarika’s guidance, All India Radio, Guwahati aired her folk songs—initially controversial for their regional dialect, but soon embraced. Her debut on the Gana Mancha stage in Shillong (1958) and subsequent involvement with IPTA and Assam’s Sahitya Sabha and AASU earned her widespread acclaim.

Pratima married Gauri Shankar Pandey, former principal of Gauripur P.B. College. Internationally noticed with her song We Are in the Same Boat, Brother, her performance in the Assamese film Era Bator Sur introduced folk to national audiences.

A Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi recipient, she was honored for her lifelong work in promoting folk music. In 1997, Prabin Hazarika’s documentary Hastir Kanya won the National Award for Best Biographical Film, captivating audiences at the South Asia Film Festival in 1998.

Her demise on 27 December 2002 at GNRC Hospital, Guwahati, sparked state-wide grieving. Assam’s roads were lined by thousands paying final tribute to a musical legend who had defined their collective identity.