A voice with a long standing appeal
The musical evenings--with mostly classical, Tagore and Nazrul songs-- are held through the aegis of the organisation Shetubandha, which has Hena as a chairperson. Among the members of Shetubandha are well-known names such as Lily Islam, Shaheen Samad, Iffat Ara Nargis and Farida Parveen. In addition, there are other reputed names: Subir Nandi and Yasmin Mushtiari, among others. The organisation also promotes talented upcoming singers.
With a view to promote singers, Shetubandha also organises musical conferences. The last such musical conference was held in 1996, with the participation of Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani artistes. There are other functions as well, as for instance, a Jagjit Singh show held in Dhaka in mid-March 1999. In the absence of sponsorship, Hena went to the extent of selling her land and car to host Singh's visit to Dhaka.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. At the moment all is quiet on the front of musical conferences. Hena's major grouse is the lack of sponsorship. Should the sponsorship be organised, she maintains, she will have another such conference.
Hena made an entry into the cultural circuit in 1956 when she signed up as a drama artiste on East Pakistan Radio. When the station embarked on commercial service, she was taken on as an announcer. Later in 1964, she ventured into Pakistan Television and claims that she was the first TV announcer in the subcontinent.
What else does Hena have up her sleeve? Pat comes the answer: "I am going to bring trainers from overseas who can teach drama and music. I firmly believe that the younger generation should learn proper techniques."
At the end of the day, the hectic routine doesn't seem to faze Hena. As she says, "Perhaps the greatest compliment is that people recognise me by my voice."