In memoriam- Pradip Ghosh

 

Pradip Ghosh- a veteran elocutionist of Kolkata passed away in the early hours of October 16, 2020. He was aged 78 years and is survived by a daughter. He joined the elocution fray in the year 1960 which he continued till the last breath of his life in this eternity. He was also the Joint Director of West Bengal State Information Services.

Pradip Ghosh had his initial training in the world of elocution under another legend in the field Kazi Sabyasachi, the elder son of rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. He had his inimitable style of reciting poetries written by both Rabindra Nath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Pradipda was well adept in reciting poetries written by the above stated and as well as the contemporary ones.

The way Pradip Ghosh recited poetry in the mind of poetry-loving Bengalis of Kolkata, India, and Bangladesh. He performed in the field in equal motion with another legend in the field Soumitra Chatterjee. The way late Ghosh used to recite poetries which created a deep impact in the mind of all Bengali poetry lovers of Kolkata and Bangladesh. It reflected upon us that he was deeply devoted to the subject he was involved with. This writer from Kolkata was deeply cordial with Late Pradipda who said Tagore was his first love and it proved its real worth in his devotion to the world of recitation. He was also deeply affectionate towards modern writers and elocutionists of Kolkata and Dhaka plus Bengalis based in other parts of the world.

Late Pradip Ghosh was born in the year 1942 on August 15 at Mymensingh. Among the prominent persons of Dhaka, Pradipda was deeply cordial with Late Dr. Anisuzzaman, Dr. Shamsuzzaman Khan, Dr. Rafiqul Islam, Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, Mohammad Akhamullah, Bhaskar Bannerjee, etc various other luminaries of that country. In Dhaka wherever he recited poems he earned wide-ranging encomiums from common citizens as well as the academicians of repute. In Kolkata he was close to Late Rama Mandal (Rabindra Sangeet singer), Professor Pabitra Sarkar, (academician), Professor Sankhya Ghosh (Poet and academician), writer and novelist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, etc various others in the field.

Among all the historical recitations by Legendary Pradipda still, popular ones such as Kamal Pasha, Debatar Grash, Karnakuntir Sangbad, etc various other poetries are deeply vivid in the minds of all his friends and admirers. Among other achievements of legendary Pradipda gave wonderful narration in Tagore's dance drama like Chitrangada, Chandalika, etc. In Kolkata and Dhaka whenever any dance drama was staged Pradipda's eloquence in the field was superb and still, his ardent fans reminisce those events with deep reverence.

We cannot rub off his memories from our mind and heart but he will continue to remain enlivened through his melodramatic voice which should be treated deeply as the gift of The Almighty.

Now Pradipda has departed for eternal peace and salvation. He is now in a different world but it is our earnest prays that the departed soul be rest in peace. But wherever he is he will continue to bless the modern elocutionists and poets to perform remarkably. His daughter Pritha Ghosh is a talented lady in the field. She is well adept in fields like writing poetry, dance, vocal music, compeering, and recitation. It is all our humblest belief that Pritha will don the mantle in upgrading her talented father's noble legacies in the upcoming days of our life.

Last, of all, I pray that the Superpower gives him all the courage and determination to Pritha to overcome these bereavements and stand upright on her stance to carry on the mantle of her erudite father's unfinished works. Lastly, I pay my deepest homage to legendary Pradipa and hope his blessings will be a source of strength and courage to modern writers, poets, elocutionists, and narrators to perform well in their respective fields.


The writer is a freelance contributor based in Kolkata.