‘Tagore never wanted experiments on his compositions’

KOLKATA - Eminent singer Dwijen Mukherjee, who was named for Padma Bhushan award, Wednesday said Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore never wanted experimentations on his composition.

“I am deadly against those who experiment on Rabindra Sangeet. Rabindranath himself never wanted or asked anybody to carry out experiments with his compositions,” said Mukherjee, an authority on Rabindra Sangeet.

“There is no scope for experimentation on Rabindra Sangeet as he had not left any opening for conducting tests on his composition,” Mukherjee told IANS.

Sharing his feelings on being awarded Padma Bhushan, he said: “I feel proud and happy seeing all my followers, family members and disciples happy and celebrating the acknowledgment of my work”.

“I have been singing for 65 long years, and as a singer I have made my contribution to the nation. It always makes me proud. I was a part of the central government’s cultural delegation touring Russia and several other European countries in 1956,” he recalled.

“I have even sung in Ladakh to entertain the army troops. Whenever the government asked me for support, I performed. So getting a national recognition is not at all a sin or crime,” he said, smiling.

Mukherjee said in the twilight of his life, he had not thought of getting such a recognition.

“And even I don’t know how my name has been adjudged by the jury. I stayed away from politics and will continue to do so,” said the 83-yer old Rabindra Sangeet exponent.

“My contemporaries like Manna Dey, Kanika Bandopadhyay, Suchitra Mitra were all awarded Padma Bhushan earlier. I had some expectation that I will soon get Padma Bhusan, one of the highest awards in our country,” said Mukherjee.

He said being conferred with a national recognition is always a great achievement, but noted: “It will not leave any impact on my life and work, as it can’t provide any extra encouragement to an old man like me.”

Mukherjee remains active. He is continuing his efforts to spread awareness of Rabindra Sangeet among masses.

“We are working with the Railways in spreading and promoting Rabindra Sangeet among the masses on the occasion of Tagore’s 150th birth Anniversary.”

Mukherjee is the vice-president of the Railway Cultural Promotion Board, which is working on a cultural exchange programme with Bangladesh.