Dipali Barthakur

Dipali Barthakur (30 January 1941 – 21 December 2018) was an Indian singer from Assam. Her songs were sung mainly in the Assamese language.^[1] She received the fourth-highest civilian award of India, the Padma Shri, in the year 1998.^[2]

Dipali Barthakur
Born	(1941-01-30)30 January 1941 Nilomoni Tea Estate, Sonari, Sivasagar, Assam
Died	21 December 2018(2018-12-21) (aged 77) Guwahati
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1955-1969
Spouse	Neel Pawan Baruah
Awards	Padmashri, 1998

Early life

Barthakur was born in 1941 to Bishwanath Borthakur and Chandrakanti Devi^[3] in Sonari at Sivasagar, Assam.^[4][5]

Musical career

Barthakur started her career as a singer early. When she was studying in class nine, in 1958, she sang the song "Mor Bopai Lahori" on All India Radio, Guwahati,^[4] and the song "Joubone Amoni Kore Chenaidhon" for the film Lachit Borphukan (1959).^[6]

Some of her other popular Assamese songs are:^[3]

• "Sonor Kharu Nalage Muk"
• "Joubone Aamoni Kore, Chenaidhon"
• "Jundhone Junalite"
• "Konmana Boroxire Sip"
• "Senai Moi Jau Dei"
• "O' Bondhu Somoi Pale Amar Phale"

Personal life

Barthakur sang her last song "Luito nejabi boi" in 1969.^[4] After that she began suffering from a severe motor neuron disease which hindered her singing and forced her to use a wheelchair. In 1976 she married Neel Pawan Barua, an eminent Indian artist and painter from Assam and son of renowned Assamese writer Binanda Chandra Barua.^[1][7]

Barthakur died on 21 December 2018 at Nemcare Hospital, Guwahati, after a prolonged illness.^[8] She was known as "Nightingale of Assam".^[9]

Awards

Barthakur was honored many times, most notably with the Padma Shri award for folk and traditional music in 1990–92.

Some of her awards/ recognitions are listed below:

• Padma Shri (1998) for her contribution to the Arts by the Government of India.^[10][11]
• Silipi Bota (2010) from Government of Assam.^[12]
• Aideu Handique Silpi Award (2012) by the Sadou Asom Lekhika Somaroh Samiti.^[13]

References

1. . The Telegraph. 26 December 2003. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
2. (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
3. "Deepali-Borthakur". assamspider.com. from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
4. Suchibrata Ray, Silpi Dipali Barthakuror 71 Sonkhyok Jonmodin, Amar Asom, 31 January 2012, accessed date: 03-02-2012
5. "Assamese singer Dipali Barthakur passes away". The Hindu. 22 December 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
6. . enajori.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
7. "Where Rubies are Hidden - II". Rukshaan Art. from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
8. "Dipali Borthakur Passes Away". from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
9. . www.thehillstimes.in. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
10. "October 16th, 2010 - October 28th, 2010, The Strand Art Room, Neel Pawan Baruah". ArtSlant. from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
11. "Rediff On The NeT: Nani Palkhivala, Lakshmi Sehgal conferred Padma Vibushan". Rediff.co.in. 27 January 1998. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
12. TI Trade (18 January 2010). . Assamtribune.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
13. "Aideu Handique Silpi Award to Dipali Borthakur". htsyndication.com. 6 October 2012. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013.