Sipra Bose passes away

Gifted with a deep, rich and melodious voice, a delectable sense of aesthetics and arresting stage presence, Sipra Bose had proved her worth not only as an accomplished khayal exponent but also as a very able specialist in Thumri, Ghazal and Dadra. Her career in music began in her early teens under the guidance of the Late Sangeetacharya Chinmoy Lahiri. She had always upheld the traditional intricacies of khayal from the renowned Lucknow gharana - a rich musical heritage that had been handed down to her from her guru in a system known as the Guru Shishya Parampara.

She had also learnt from the legendary Begum Akhtar as well as Naina Devi. For pure classical music, she received training under the guidance of Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Her captivating voice with its intricate delicacies, her controlled eloquence and the lyrical grace made each performance not just memorable but truly magical. Her enunciation of Urdu, enriched by her spontaneous expression had put her in a niche amongst the Ghazal performers of Bengal. Bengal lost a bright star on April 22, 2008 when she passed away after a massive heart attack.