Late Malabika Kanan

orn on December 27, 1930, Smt. Malabika Kanan is one of the foremost singers in the field of Hindustani classical music. A recipient of the highly coveted Sangeet Natak Akademy Award in 2000, she ranks high among exponents of khayal. She also received the ITC Award in 1995, for her contribution in the field of Hindustani classical music. She is considered unique in that she maintains both the traditional purity of the khayal form and the aesthetic beauty of a raga. She has a rich repertoire of current as well as rare ragas and “bandishes”. Malabika sings bhajans with equal elan.

She started her musical training when she was just four, under her father, the late Rabindralal Roy – a well-known musicologist and disciple of Pt. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. She received systematic training from him in dhrupad, dhamar and khayal for a number of years. Travelling to many parts of the country in her father’s company, Malabika had the advantage of his practical and theoretical training. At 16, she became a regular broadcaster on AIR. From then on she has participated in several prestigious national conferences and Radio Sangeet Sammelans. She married the noted singer, Pt A. Kanan, from whom her music gained new dimension, assimilating many features from his Kirana style. She was also initiated into Thumri under his able guidance.

An extremely tuneful voice, a rich, systematic and dignified style in the slow Khayals and alaaps and ease and variety in taans are some of the qualities that has made Malabika an outstanding musician. Her voice has sweetness, timbre, accuracy, pliability, a wide range and ‘taiyari’.

An affable and pleasing personality, Malabika has always cherished a soft corner for Lucknow where she was born. She was on the Expert Committee of ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata , till a few years back.

She leave us on February 17, 2009.

Archives:

March, 2008 – L K Pandit
February, 2008 – Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
January, 2008 – Lalith J Rao
December, 2007 – Debu Chaudhuri
November, 2007 – Vidyadhar Vyas
October, 2007 – Prattyush Banerjee
September, 2007 – Malini Rajurkar
August, 2007 – Satish Vyas
July, 2007 – Iqbal Ahmed Khan
June, 2007 – D K Datar
May, 2007 – Madhup Mudgal
April, 2007 – Alam Khan

She wrote some lines for us on 25th December, 1989:

Translated English Testimonial:Mr. Kishore Roy have been tuning and making our harmoniums since past five years and we are really very much satisfied with his work. We, our students and friends have been using his hand made Harmoniums since then, ‘CALCUTTA MUSICAL DEPOT’, in fact his showroom is situated at Bhowanipore. I myself have attended many sophisticated programs using Harmoniums made by him. To the best of my knowledge he is one of the greatest Harmonium maker of this age and especially the art of his tuning incomparable. There are very few people like us who bother about music and tune but he has completely satisfied this emotion and heart. I bless him as that he might progress fast in his work and establish himself as accomplished personality. I pray to the Almighty God as that he may shower His gift of blessing on him.

Malabika Kanan, 25th December’ 1989.