ওয়াশিংটন বাংলা রেডিও Washington Bangla Radio

Sreyashi Mitra is a well-known figure amongst aficionados of Rabindrasangeet.

Subhomoy Mukherjee of Washington Bangla Radio met with Sreyashi in her residence and recorded an informal interview in late November, 2009. Listen to Sreyashi Mitra speak about her music, inspirations, career and vision online - use the play button below to listen to the audio recording of the interview and Rabindra Sangeet MP3 songs online from Sreyashi's album Madhuro Tomar (courtesy of Prime Music: Brand new 2009 Puja album) and other recordings:

Sreyashi received training in Hindustani Classical vocal music from Late Manjushri Chakraborty and Late Rabindra Mohan Maitra. She has also trained in Rabindrasangeet at Dakshinee, a premiere music school in Kolkata. In 1983 she received the Abhigyan Patra (Honours Diploma) and secured the 2nd position in her class. Certified by the Vishwa Bharati Music Board, Sreyashi has received special training from Sri Rono Guhathakurta and Late Sri Subinoy Roy. She has also learnt folk songs under Sri Amar Pal and has performed with him on numerous occasions. Till recently she was under the tutelage of Sri Arghya Sen.

Hailing from a family of internationally acclaimed Rabindra Nritya Natak artistes from Shantiniketan, music comes naturally to Sreyashi.

^{Sreyashi Mitra in concert with Amar Pal}

From an early age Sreyashi has given numerous performances all over India including several concerts under the aegis of Dakshinee and Anamika Kala Sangam. Music lovers have greatly appreciated her recent performances. As a founding member of Dhaibat, Nataraj and Madhura music institutes Sreyashi has organised and performed in numerous programmes ranging from Rabindrasangeet to Adhunik songs. During 1995-97 Sreyashi was attached to Rabindra Bhavan, Patna in the capacity of a music consultant. She has also been invited by several organisations including the Ballygunge Government High School Alumni Association and Rabindra Bhavan, Patna for judging Rabindrasangeet competitions.

In August 2001 her first album, a duet titled Chini Go Chini – Chhayachhobite Rabindrasangeet, produced by Saregama (HMV), was released by Sri Mrinal Sen. Music connoisseurs and the general public have received it very well.

^{Sreyashi Mitra with Mrinal Sen & Tejen Mazumder at album release of Chini Go Chini (Rabindrasangeet as Bengali Film Songs)}

^{Sreyashi in concert with Prabuddha Raha}

In 2005 she was awarded a grant by the Dept. of Culture, Ministry of Tourism & Culture, GOI.

Sreyashi is an empanelled artiste of ICCR.

Sreyashi has performed several times for television – in 1996 Doordarshan, Patna invited her for a performance of light Classical vocal music – more recently she has performed in Tara Bangla, Alpha Bangla, ETV Bangla, CTVN and other Bengali TV Channels.

Sreyashi’s rendition of Rabindrasangeet of various moods and tempos has won her acclaim from both audiences and music critics. Her tonal quality, flawless diction, range and grasp of the complex nuances of Rabindrasangeet have been singled out for praise by fellow artistes as well as critics.

Sreyashi’s contact details are:

Flat # 24 Woodlands Syndicate
8 / 7 Alipore Road
Kolkata 700027

Phone:  (91) (33) 2456 7267   /   (91) (33) 98310 89022         
email:  mitra.sreyashi [at] gmail.com

Snapshot of Sreyashi’s pursuits in Music

Albums
1.    2009 – ‘Modhuro Tomar….’ solo album of Rabindrasangeet produced by Prime Music released on 19th September ’09 at Starmark, Kolkata.

2.    2005 – ‘Godhuli’, a solo album of Rabindrasangeet produced and released by Prime Music in October 2005.

3.    2004 - ‘Gitabitan Live (Part II)’  - produced by Dakshinee. Sreyashi recorded 10 songs in this album.
4.    2003 - ‘Banshi Ki Bolechhilo’ – album on Rabindrasangeet recorded by various artistes including Smt. Purabi Mukherjee, Sri Alok Roy Chaudhuri and Sreyashi.
5.    2001 - ‘Chini Go Chini’ – duet album on Rabindrasangeet with Sri Prabuddha Raha. Produced by Saregama (HMV) and released by Sri Mrinal Sen in August 2001.

Television & Radio

1.    2007 ~ 2005 – Numerous programmes (Solo & Group) in most of the leading Bengali Television channels of Kolkata.
2.    2004 - Special programme – Je Giyechhe Dekhar Bahire – telecast on Tagore’s death anniversary (22 Sravan) on 8th August 2004 in Akash Bangla (Sky B) television channel.
3.    2002 - Solo appearance in ‘Suprabhat’ in ETV – a popular Bengali TV Channel. Only established and popular exponents of Rabindrasangeet are featured in this programme.  
4.    2001 - Solo programme in Tara Bangla – an immensely popular TV Channel in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
5.    2001 - Live interview and phone-in programme – Ekhon Phonay – in CTVN Bengali Channel.
6.    2001 - Special invitee for live interview in the popular radio programme – Mahila Mahal – of All India Radio, Kolkata.
7.    2001 - Solo appearance in ‘Purabi’, a very popular Rabindrasangeet serial aired by Alpha Bangla TV Channel. Recorded in 2001, this programme is repeated frequently by the channel even today on the basis of viewer’s demand.

On Stage / Live Performances

^{Promotional flyer of Cultural Association Of Bengal, North America's Kabi Jayanti concert (2008)}

1.    2008- Performed for Cultural Association Of Bengal, New York Chapter in Kabi Jayanti on 31 st March as solo artist from Kolkata.
2.    2007- "Inheritance” at the Singapore National Museum. An ensemble of songs and recitation, conceived and performed along with the noted film and theatre personality Shri Dhritiman Chaterji, the programme was widely acclaimed. An invitation by Tagore Society, Singapore.
3.    2007 – Performances of “Inheritance” in Bangkok.
4.    2006 – Directed and staged “Matir Manabi” (based on Chandalika) produced by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India in Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata.

5.    2005 – Performed in Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata as a Solo artiste in a Rabindrasangeet programme sponsored by Peerless Group.
6.    2001 ~ 2006 – Solo performances in leading clubs of Kolkata like Calcutta Club, Bengal Club, etc., as a part of their ‘Nabo Barsha’ celebrations as well as numerous private programmes and performances in Bramho Samaj, Charnock City Festival, etc.
7.    2003 - Lead artiste in programme produced by the Vishwa Bharati Music Board in Kolkata.
8.    2003 - Solo artiste in programme produced by Dakshinee to celebrate Birth Anniversary of their founder, Late Sri Subha Guha Thakurta.
9.    2003 - Lead artiste in programme produced by Peerless on the occasion of inauguration of ‘Sonar Tari Phase II’ housing project in Santiniketan. Performed in the presence of various luminaries like Sri Somnath Chatterjee, Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sri S K Roy, Chairman, Peerless Group and others.
10.    2003 - Performed in Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata in the programme felicitating Late Sri Subinoy Roy on his 75th birthday.  Shared the stage with senior artistes like Sri Abhirup Guha Thakurta, Sri Kabir Sumon and Smt. Lopamudra Mitra.  Luminaries in attendance included Sri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal and Sri Subrata Mukherjee, Mayor of Kolkata.

^{Sreyashi in Concert - Esho He Baishakh - Mayar Khela (2003)}

11.    2002 – Esho He Baisakh – solo programme in Kala Mandir, Kolkata.
12.    2001 – Solo programme in Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkata

Acknowledgement

Washington Bangla Radio thanks Prime Music Pvt. Ltd. for making available Shreyashi Mitra's Rabindra Sangeet Album Madhuro Tomar published by Prime Music on Pujo 2009 to WBRi for broadcast. We are grateful to Mr Indrajit Sen and Mr Swaraj Das of Prime Music for this, and many other P & M Records albums, featured and broadcast from WBRi.