Munindra Sakia has been a well-known singer and songwriter in Assam’s music scene for over 30 years now. Assamese music aficionados will be delighted to know that Munindra Saikia’s rendition of the wonderful melody “Sewali Tumi Phulisa Saradi Raati” is now accessible to the public, and is garnering good response from music lovers. The song is penned by the late Puspa Kanta Bora, a noted Assamese tabla player and Akashvani Guwahati artiste. Munindra Saikia sings and tunes the beautiful melody, which features a soothing composition by well-known music director Abhijit Barman. Munindra Saikia’s voice gives the song a fresh vitality, as the lyrics and melody blend together flawlessly. A number of well-known Assamese musicians contributed to the song and offered their expertise. They include tabla players Dilip Majumdar and Bhaskar Ojha, renowned flautist Parameswar Basumatary, and noted guitarist Tapan Das. The song would definitely be enjoyed by listeners.
Over the years, Munindra Saikia has provided melodies to the songs of numerous renowned lyricists in the Assamese music industry. Among the lyricists whose songs have been rendered by Saikia are Bonkonwar Anandiram Das, poet-lyricist Hiren Bhattacharyya, litterateur, lyricist Dr. Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, lyricist Kaustubh Moni Saikia, lyricist Keshab Dutta, lyricist Manohar Kalita, lyricist Madhu Patowary, Dr. Mrinal Chowdhury, lyricist Dr. Arvind Debnath, lyricist, composer, vocalist, vocalist Jiten Deka, lyricist Upananda Talukdar, and lyricist Hiren Goswami. Among the singers who have contributed to Munindra Saikia’s songs are Anita Borthakur, Sabita Barman, and Dr. Anamika Deka. Munindra Saikia has also recorded Bihu songs under the direction of Assam’s well-known Bihu singer, Biman Barua.
Over the years, Munindra Saikia has played a vital role in preserving and propagating the indigenous Bongeets, penned by Bonkonwar Anandiram Das, as well as organising workshops and seminars to disseminate them to the next generation. His deep eagerness to learn and imbibe the various intricacies of Bongeets have stimulated him to record many of these songs, which extol Nature and reflect the feelings or emotions of the common people of the society. He is currently associated with cultural organisations like Yubatirtha, Jiten Deka Memorial Award, Sadou Asom Shilpi Samaj among others. His music albums include ‘Ranumai’, ‘Anuraag’, ‘Toi Kun Birikhar Pakhi’, ‘Bhodiya Luitor Dhol’, ‘Abegor Baa’, ‘Xunor Xuleng’, ‘Bornoi Suwani’, ‘Aji Xaunor’, ‘Kothare Tumak’, ‘Dhanpur O Mon Pur O’, ‘Ejak Charai’, ‘Natun Purukh’, ‘Sandhya Belika’, songs on Birubala Rabha, etc. He was conferred with the Babu Jagjivan Ram National Samman Padak-2019 at Rajendra Bhawan, Delhi, for his work in the promotion and preservation of Bongeet. Saikia also received the Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha award from the Samannay Foundation on Rabha Diwas, on June 20, 2002. I hope that Munindra Saikia will continue to enrich Assamese music.
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