Kabir Suman

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Kabir Suman bigraphy, stories - Bengali singer

Kabir Suman : biography

16 March 1949 –

Kabir Suman ( née Suman Chatyapadhyay; born 16 March 1949) is a Kolkata-based modern Bengali singer-songwriter, musician, poet, journalist, political activist, TV presenter, and occasional actor. @ india.gov.in Member of Parliament. Retrieved 11 December 2011 Since May 2009, he is a member of parliament of India in the 15th Lok Sabha, having been elected from the Jadavpur constituency in Kolkata on an All India Trinamool Congress ticket.

He changed his name from Suman Chattopadhyay to Kabir Suman when he converted to Islam. @ kabirsuman.in. Retrieved 11 December 2011 He shot to fame in the 1990s with albums such as Tomake Chai (I Want You) and Boshe Anko (Sit-and-Draw).

Personal life

Suman has been married five times. Suman considers himself agnostic, nihilist-anarchist and a "polygamous" person. 

He is married to Sabina Yasmin, a Bangladeshi singer.

Early life

Suman was born on 16 March 1949 to Sudhindranath and Uma Chattopadhyay at Cuttack, Odisha. He was trained in classical music in his childhood, under the tutelage of this father. He graduated from Jadavpur University with an honours in English Literature and a diploma in French language. He then worked briefly in All India Radio and the United Bank of India. Suman left for Europe in the mid seventies, and worked as a radio journalist in the Voice of Germany (Bengali Department) during 1975 to 1979. It is during this period that he heard the music of Bob Dylan in France, which became one of his most defining musical experiences.

Suman then went on to stay at the United States during 1980 to 1986, working for the Bengali language Department of the Voice of America at Washington D.C. He came into contact with a number of musical and literary personalities including Pete Seeger and Maya Angelou. Suman also became highly interested in the Sandinista revolution at Nicaragua during the mid eighties. Pete Seeger introduced him to Ernesto Cardenal, the priest, poet, freedom fighter and Nicaragua’s Minister of Culture. At Cardenal’s invitation, Suman visited Nicaragua in 1985. He writes that he was largely impressed by what he saw in Nicaragua. It is here, that he also came into contact with the New Song Movement in Latin America.

Discography

Solo albums with track lists:

Tomake Chai (1992) – HMV

Boshe Aanko (1993) – HMV

Ichchhe Holo (1993) – HMV

Gaanola / Suman the One Man Band (1994) – HMV / EMI

Ghumou Baundule (1995) – HMV

Chaichhi Tomar Bondhuta (1996) – HMV

Jatishwar (1997) – HMV

Nishiddho Istehar (1998) – HMV

Pagla Shanai (1999) – HMV

Jabo Ochenaye (2001) – HMV

Aadab (2002) – HMV

Reaching Out (2003) – Kosmic Music

Dekhchhi Toke (2004) – Cozmik Harmony

Nandigram (2007) – Cozmik Harmony

Rizwanur Brityo (2008) – Artist himself

Protirodh (2008) – Cozmik Harmony

Chhotrodhorer Gaan (2010) – Artist himself and later by Bijalpa Music

Lalmohoner Lash (2010) – Questz World / Saptarshi Prakashan

Political activities

Along with his musical contributions, Suman has always held strong political views. He was a journalist in Nicaragua during the Sandinista revolution and wrote Mukto Nicaragua (Liberated Nicaragua) on his experiences. During the 2002 Gujarat riots, he composed songs in protest against fundamentalism. He is also noted for his strong declamations against political opponents in public.

Since 2006, when Suman was involved in the land struggle in Nandigram, he started aliging himself to All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee. His songs on the Nandigram land issues have been released on two albums, Nandigram and Pratirodh. Suman also participated in the Singur agitation & other TMC party programmes on a regular basis.

He was present during the inauguration of TMC’s stall in Kolkata Book Fair in 2009.

The Trinamoool Congress nominated him for the 2009 general election from Jadavpur constituency in Kolkata, West Bengal, and won the election, defeating his nearest rival, Sujan Chakraborty of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) by 54,000 votes (by a 10% margin). @ indiaelections.co.in. Retrieved 11 December 2011