Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, the legendary Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet artiste, embarked on her musical journey with a unique blend of academic pursuit and passion for music. Born into a family with a deep appreciation for the arts, Bannya initially enrolled in Economics at Dhaka University, a practical choice influenced by her family. However, her passion for music fueled her desire to pursue her studies on a different path at Shantiniketan, steering her toward a lifelong dedication to classical music and cultural preservation.

Amongst Padma Shri winners are 47 awardees in the field of arts from 110 total nominees. They are Rezwana Choudhury Bannya (Rabindra Sangeet exponent, Bangladesh), Ratan Kahar (folk singer, lyricist), Ashok Kumar Biswas (artist), Balakrishnan Sadanam Puthiya Veetil (dance exponent), and Pandit Om Prakash Sharma (theatre artiste), amongst 42 others from arts category.

Undoubtedly one of the most prominent Tagore exponents to have graced Rabindra Sangeet, Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya has been