Skip to content Skip to navigation

Octogenarian Music Maestro Sisir Kumar Suni

Octogenarian music maestro Sisir Kumar Suni spends time playing violin at home

Music legend of undivided Darrang (presently Darrang, Udalguri and Sonitpur) Sisir Kumar Suni is now 84 years old being confined to his home only.He is still optimistic about systemic research and practice of traditional folk culture of Assam in their original style.Although forgotten by present day singers and producer directors of Assamese music world,Suni still busy with his never ending musical activities alone in his home at sleepy Bengbari just five KM away from Tangla town.Age could have restricted his bodily movements,but his talent and spirit still busy looking for new ideas.It had been his effort that Bodo folk dance "Kherai" was performed on stage for the first time during 1955."Kherai" dance had never been performed on a stage till then.He was also the first music director of Bodo modern song broad caste through All India Radio Guwahati in 1977.

Sisir Suni will always be remembered as the founder of Bodo Musical Notation in Assam.He was the person involved with the book "Gwthang Denkhw" published in 1994.He also composed notation on Kamrupi Lokageet in a book "Sodomsri" published from Barama in 1995.Suni composed more than hundred songs which have already been published in books namely-'Jaydhwani', 'Palas Phular Botarote','Denkwo Bidang','Gwdan Denkhwani Methai', 'Swrang Lama', 'Bodo Bhajan' etc.He composed Assamese Notation of modern songs,Jyoti Sangeet,Rabha Sangeet,Bhupendra Sangeet,Kamrupi folk songs,Bihu songs etc and also have trained many students in his lifetime.Preffering to keep a very low profile,this octogenarian music maestro has now been living alone at Bengbari in Udalguri district.He is never angry with anybody nor had any complaints.He loves to play violin most although he has mastery over other musical instruments namely-Spanish Guitar,Hawain Guitar,Mandolin, Piano, Organ,Accordion etc.Suni had been a close associate of Bishnu Rabha,who had been a regular visitor to his house at Bengbari during early days when Kalaguru had been underground.Sisir Kumar Suni was born on 20 November in 1932 at Bengbari.He was the eldest son of Dr.James Suni and singer Giribala Suni.Completing primary education at Bengbari LP School,he joined Bengbari Mission School in 1942.He eastblished Bengbari ME School in association with late Nabin Chandra Medhi,Mouzadar of Harisinga Mouza.Also offered to work as an Hony Asstt. teacher.While talking to media persons Suni expressed unhappiness at the present day status of Assamese ethnic folk song and dances."If not preserved with notation all will be lost in the midst of remix culture",he said.He was also critical of government policy towards singers,actors and musicians."Anybody with Radio and TV background gets government recognition leaving behind genuine artists", he said.He mentioned Dr.Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, Mukul Barua and Pulak Banerjee as his most favourite artists of Assam.Unfortunately,even after so much of his contribution to Assamese music society,Sisir Suni is yet to receive government pension or recognition.

Comments

Tirtha Gurung's picture

Deuta Namaskar Janalu !! apunak dekha pai khub bhal lagil , Apuni aamar bengbarir pride !!

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Mobile tower that triggers trouble

14 Oct 2014 - 9:21pm | Jintul Talukdar
Its all about a mobile tower that triggers trouble in a huge area of Barpeta district forcing the people to go all out against AirTel. Local residents in Bhawanipur start complaining a number of...

Strong Resentment against AUDF demand for Autonomous Council

10 Jun 2007 - 5:30am | editor
Guwahati: There was strong resentment all throughout Assam on Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) legislator Rasul Haque Bahadur demand for creating an autonomous council for the minorities. All...

Tea estate manager freed

22 Jan 2014 - 10:30am | AT News
Suspected NDFB-S have freed a tea garden manager 9 days after he was kidnapped from his house in Sonitpur district.Identified as Bharat Singh Rathorh, the Pabhoi Tea Estate manager in Tinisuti area...

Culprit held, now cry for capital punishment

9 Apr 2018 - 5:06pm | Akshaya Pranab Kalita
NAMRUP: People thronged in thousands on the National Highway No 37 in Moran demanding capital punishment of Rajen Hardi whom police have arrested a week after he allegedly raped and killed a minor in...

Other Contents by Author

  The visit of the newly appointed Darrang DC Ashok Kumar Barman to the historic Raghunath Kuwnori xatra on September 3 recently was widely appreciated by the public.It is noteworthy that a day-long programme organised by Sipajhar College at its adopted village N0.1 Bijulibari underway when the DC dropped in.The programme began with a ‘Swacchata Abhiyan’ by the volunteers of the NSS and the volunteers from the village. At the meeting presided over by Dr Pradip Ch Deka, the Principal of Sipajhar College, the DC lauded the efforts of the college to bring the public and the administration closer.DC Barman in his friendly and informal interaction with the public and the students and...
The teachers are the torch bearers of the society.Their intellectual pursuits help their students to achieve goal. Now, since we are in the competitive world, the young generation will have to study hard to meet the challenge and the teachers should make their students to cultivate a competitive mind to meet the target. This was observed by Rihon Daimari, Minister, Food and Civil Supplies and PHE of Assam while addressing a congregation of working and retired teachers here at the conference hall of inspector of schools of Udalguri district circle here at Udalguri town today.The minister,who is also the local MLA addressed the assembly of teachers as the chief guest on the occasion of the...
Protesting against sharp price rise of essential commodities in the country,more than five hundred people mostly woman staged dharna in front of Kalaigaon Revenue Circle Office today on September 2 at 11 am on the day of Bharat Bandh.The protesters blocked the main gate of Kalaigaon Revenue Circle Office preventing government officials and employees including Additional Deputy Commissioner Udalguri. Police had to arrest all the protesters numbering more than five hundred to clear the entrance.They were taken to Kalaigaon police station campus after their detention for the day. Vehicular traffic were off the road,but shops and educational institutions remained open.
 The National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) Udalguri district will be held on September 14 at Golmagaon High School at Udalguri. This has been stated by Sadhana Hojai,DC,Udalguri who is also the president of NCSC DOC(District Organising Committee) Udalguri district.Udalguri district administration and office of the Inspector of Schools, Udalguri have already directed heads of more than hundred government educational institutions to offer help and support to children,students and teachers willing to present science projects at the ensuing district level Children’s Science Congress.It needs mention that Assam Science Technology and Environment Council, Guwahati has been supervising...
A citizens’ meet on Thursday unanimously demanded disbanding of the Rhino Horns Verification Committee, recently formed by the Government of Assam, as in its opinion, the committee is out to legalize all irregularities by those involved in killing and poaching of rhinos and selling their horns.Held at Guwahati Press Club and jointly organized by Nature’s Beckon and the Journalists’ Forum, Assam (JFA), the meeting also demanded of the authorities to make public the total number of horns from the rhinos naturally dead and those recovered after being killed by the poachers. But this number too must be arrived at after putting each and every horn to forensic tests. Presided over by...
In a sensational incident miscreants kidnapped a father and his two sons from their residence at Udmari village near Kalaigaon town last night on August 30.According to information a nine member group of Bodo youths on motorcycles arrived at the house of Jona Ram Tamuli,the government gaonbura of No.2 Kalaigaon at around 12.30 am. Immediately after their arrival they started asking about secret treasure supposedly belonged to ULFA.They ordered the family members to hand over the ULFA treasure which they had allegedly found during JCB excavation in Sibasagar district some years back. Finding no clue or answer they forcefully picked up gaonbura Jona Ram Tamuli (60), his two sons namely -...
As per the first 100 days programme of the Science and Technology Department, Govt. of Assam, a three-day-long programme “Grooming and Mentoring of Students by Science & Mathematics Facilitators” was held at Sipajhar B.J. Girls’ High School, Darrang duringAugust 17-19. The programme was organized by Science & Technology Division of Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC) in collaboration with Sipajhar B.J. Girls’ High School. The programme aimed to motivate the students to explore science and mathematics with simplicity, fun and out of the rigid framework of textbooks and show them career and opportunities in the field of science, technology and innovation.The...
Mahendra Saikia a renowned social worker of Kalaigaon has been sad now a days in his eighties.His dream of a peaceful and corruption free society has been shattered.Very recently he has been awarded with the “Chief Minister’s best Community Action Award for Development /2016” on the occasion of 70th Independence Day.When asked his feelings on receiving the award,Mahendra Saikia just expressed his anguish at present day social degradation.Speaking to this correspondent Saikia said that political promises were made only for power and such promises never materialised.”Political leaders and members of other social organisations lack good education and wisdom”, he regrets.Speaking on...
Kaziranga Wildlife Society (KWS)held its annual Nature Conservation Day in memory of its founder president Padmashree Robin Banerjee at the pensioners Bhawan at Chandmari in Guwahati on August 12.On the occasion the KWS Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to JFMC forest of Bhairabkunda (Gedsimani Forest) in Udalguri district.The JFMC comprising local vill;agers were instrumental in transforming a vast stretch of barren land (5500 bighas) into a green forest which today sheltres wide ranging wildlife.Delivering key note address on wildlife in urban areas of Assam,writter and conservationist Dr.Anowaruddin Choudhury said that the so called man animal conflict conflict was actually a...
Media fraternity of Udalguri district remembered late Kamala Saikia on his twenty fifth deat anniversary at Udalguri on August 9 with day long programme.Udalguri District Journalists' Union in association with Udalguri district administration organized the memorial ceremony at Udalguri Press Club premises at 10 am.The ceremony started with the hoisting of UDJU flag followed by offering floral tribute to the image of late Saikia.The memorial day meeting was held at 11.30 am to discuss role of the departed journalist in fighting against injustice done to innocent people of the society which was presided over by Jayanta Kumar Das,president of UDJU.Dilip Kumar Barua,secretary of the union in...