CUTTACK: Popular Odia music director and singer Abhijit Majumdar passed away on Sunday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. He was 54 and is survived by his wife and son. He was admitted to the hospital on September 4 last year, after suffering from chronic liver disease and multiple other ailments.
As per an official statement from AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, he underwent prolonged treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) before being moved to the medicine ward on November 10 for continued care. However, his health condition deteriorated on Saturday night following which he was put on life-support. Unfortunately, he breathed his last on Sunday.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over Majumdar’s demise. “His passing away is an irreparable loss to our music, cinema and culture. I express my condolences to the bereaved family and pray to Lord Jagannath for the peace of the departed soul,” Majhi said.
Born in Sambalpur in 1971, Majumdar, popularly called Abhijit Da, had been living in Cuttack since 1996. Over the decades, he became one of the most famous figures in the Odia music industry. He composed music for over 700 songs both in Odia and Sambalpuri while singing modern and devotional songs in more than 50 films and albums.
He rose to fame by composing music for Odia film ‘Kasia Kapila’ in 2000. His compositions in films like ‘Love Story’, ‘Sister Sridevi’, ‘Golmaal Love’, ‘Mr Manju’, ‘Sundargarh Ra Salman Khan’, ‘Sriman Surdas’, ‘Rakhiba Jadi Se Mariba Kie’, ‘Munna: A Love Story’, ‘Balunga Toka’, ‘Matric Fail’, ‘Rangila Toka’, ‘Samaya Bada Balaban’, ‘Love Station’ were chartbusters.
He also won the State Film Award for his music for ‘Tu Tha Mun Jauchi Rushi’. Similarly, ‘A Gaura’, ‘Aji Kali Kan Khauchu...’, ‘E Salu, Riban Fita’ are among his hit albums.
His mortal remains were brought from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack and kept on the premises of MR Studio, where people from various walks of life as well as the actors, artists and colleagues in the industry paid their tributes. His body was later taken to his house at Barapathar in Buxi Bazar locality.
A pal of gloom has descended on the film fraternity after his demise with several including Anubhav Mohanty, Premanand, Sishir Mishra, Bobby Islam, producer Sanjay Nayak and Cuttack mayor Subhash Singh, former MLA Md Moquim, etc., rushing to his residence to pay their last tributes.
Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan offered his condolences to Majumdar’s family. “Through his unique musical style, he had, over many decades, carved out a special place in the hearts of Odia listeners. His untimely departure is an irreparable loss for the Odia art world,” he said.
BJD president and leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik said, “His contributions to the Odia music world will always remain memorable. In this hour of grief, I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members, along with prayers for the eternal peace of the departed soul.” Majumdar’s last rites were performed at Swargadwar in Puri later on the day.