SAMBALPUR: Music composer of popular Sambalpuri song Rangabati, Prabhudatta Pradhan, today passed away at his residence here following prolonged illness, family sources said.
Active in the field of music for 45 years, Pradhan had popularised Sambalpuri music and had bagged 14 prestigious awards for his contribution in the field of Samabalpuri music.
He had expertise in percussion instruments like 'Dhol' and 'Mandal'.
The Rangabati song which earned him fame in 1975, was written by Mitrabhanu Gountia and sung by Jitendra Haripal and Krishna Patel.
He is survived by wife and two sons Ashish and Aseem.
Born in 1943, Prabhudatta started learning music under his father at the age of three.
He was influenced by his father late Pravas Chandra Pradhan to sing bhajans or Hindu religious songs at home even though they were Christians.
Pradhan learnt tabla from Pandit Jadunath Supkar at Benaras in Uttar Pradesh.
He had joined the All India Radio (AIR), Sambalpur station as an instrumentalist in 1969.