Cachar to Observe Kalika Prasad Bhattacharjee’s Birthday as ‘Loko Songhoti Divos’

The Assam Government has asked the Cachar district administration to observe the birth anniversary of celebrated folk singer and cultural activist Kalika Prasad Bhattacharjee as ‘Loko Songhoti Divos’ on September 11.

The Cultural Affairs Department issued a letter to the District Commissioner of Cachar on September 7, requesting the district administration to organise the observance in Silchar and across Cachar in a befitting manner, as was done last year.

As part of the programme, Kalika Prasad’s songs have been requested to be played through microphones across Silchar town. Local artists will also offer floral tributes to the folk legend, followed by a brief cultural homage.

According to the department, the observance is aimed at honouring Kalika Prasad’s contribution to the preservation and promotion of folk music and culture and spreading a message of cultural harmony.

Born in Silchar on September 11, 1970, Kalika Prasad Bhattacharjee was a prominent folk music figure. Inspired by his uncle Ananta Bhattacharya, a collector of traditional folk songs, he later moved to Kolkata to study comparative literature at Jadavpur University. In 1999, he co-founded Dohar to revive folk traditions of Bengal, Assam and the Northeast. He also researched, documented and archived rural folk music, supported by a research grant from the India Foundation for the Arts.

He contributed playback vocals and music direction to films including Moner Manush, Jaatishwar, Bhuban Majhi and Bishorjon. He also became widely known through television music programmes, including Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, where he helped bring several grassroots folk performers to a wider audience.

In 2013, he received the Sangeet Samman from the Government of West Bengal.

Kalika Prasad died in a road accident near Gurap village in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on March 7, 2017, at the age of 46.

His birth anniversary on September 11 continues to hold special cultural significance in Cachar, his home district. The Assam Government’s latest directive seeks to mark the day through music, tributes and cultural activities.