Raju Vernekar
Legendary playback singer Padma Bhushan Suman Kalyanpur (89) who passed away at her residence at Andheri in North West Mumbai, due to age related ailments, on Sunday night, was laid to rest, with full state honours on Monday.
The last rites of the iconic singer were held at Pawan Hans crematorium at Vile Parle West. Earlier well wishers and music lovers made a beeline to offer condolences and floral tributes at her residence.
Born as Suman Hemmadi; 28 January 1937 – 31 May 2026), in Dhaka (then Bombay Presidency), her family moved to Mumbai in 1943, where she received her musical training. Suman had always been interested in painting and music.
After completing schooling from Mumbai’s famed St. Columba High School, she got admission in the prestigious Sir J. J. School of Arts for further studies in painting. Simultaneously, she started learning classical vocal from Pune’s Prabhat Films’ music director and a close family friend, Pandit Keshav Rao Bhole. Initially singing was just her hobby, but gradually her interest in music increased and she started learning it professionally from Ustad Khan, Abdul Rehman Khan and Guruji Master Navrang.
Known for most notable work in Hind Cinema, she recorded songs for movies in several languages including Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Angika, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Odia and Punjabi. She recorded over 800 songs including devotional songs in different languages.
Suman Kalyanpur collaborated closely with Assamese music icon Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, lending her soulful voice to timeless classics such as “Milanor Ei Shubhokhan” and “Bijuleer Pohar Mor Nai” from Chikmik Bijuli (1969). She also immortalised “Jibon Ghorir Protito Pal” from Kanchghar (1975), bringing extraordinary depth and flawless Assamese diction to Bhupen Hazarika’s lyrical vision.
She will be remembered not only for evergreen Bollywood hits like “Aajkal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche”(Bramhchari), “Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhin Se Kar Baithe”( Jab Jab Phool Khilen) and many more songs, but also for her lasting contribution to Assamese music and culture.
Her voice was often been mistaken to be that of Lata Mangeshkar due to their similar tone and texture. Suman Kalyanpur’s career started in 1954 and she went onto become a popular singer in the 1960s and 1970s. She married businessman Ramanand Kalyanpur in 1958. She is survived by her daughter Charu Agny.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of state and central leaders offered condolences to the departed soul.
