Singing Bonnya's success

Overjoyed Bonnya expressing her feelings to the audience and the students of Shurer Dhara Practoni.

On June 14, the organisation for the ex-students of the school, Shurer Dhara Praktoni gave Bonnya a warm reception for her winning the Ananda Award for Rabindra Sangeet. With this year's accomplishment, Bonnya has won the award for the second consecutive time. In fact, she is the only awardee so far since the award itself was introduced two years back. Speakers at the reception ceremony termed this achievement a rare and very honourable one. Eminent educationist Kabir Chowdhury described this feat as 'an immense source of inspiration' for others. Widely acclaimed authority on both Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, Dr Karunamoy Goswami urged Bonnya and other practisioners of Tagore to maintain the purity of the art. He criticised the current trend of singing Tagore's songs in one's own style that violates the notation prepared by Rabindranath himself, after the copyright on Tagore's songs was lifted. Artist Hashem Khan reminisced how one of Bonnya's album was selected for playing on the last day of a workshop in Bulgaria in 1989. He said he was happy to learn about Bonnya's achievement just as he had been on that day.

Among others who spoke at the event were actors Ramendu Majumdar, Aly Zaker, Ataur Rahman, Rabindrasangeet artistes Tapan Mahmud and Sadi Mohammad.

Shurer Dhara Praktoni presented a painting of Hashem Khan to Bonnya.

At the end of the programme, Praktani rendered some songs followed by Bonnya presenting two Rabindra sangeets.