Dr Nashid Kamal, Sunil Chandra Das honoured at Gems of Nazrul’s 9th anniversary

The 9th anniversary of Gems of Nazrul was marked with a musical celebration titled "Nirjharini" at The Daily Star Center in Dhaka on October 11. The event, titled "Adi Shur Mancha", began with a beautiful group performance of the Nazrul Sangeet "Ghumonto Bonobhumi Rum Jhum K Bajay."

As part of the celebration, eminent Nazrul researcher Professor Dr Nashid Kamal and renowned violinist Sunil Chandra Das were honoured for their outstanding contributions to Nazrul Sangeet. Dalia Nausheen presented them with flowers. Dr Nashid Kamal, who comes from a legendary family, is not only an accomplished artiste but also a dedicated researcher. She has translated seven books, including Nazrul's songs, poems, and editorials.

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Dr Nashid Kamal highlighted Nazrul's emphasis on organisation, quoting, "We need organisation. Bengali Muslims need organisation. We don't know how to follow a leader. Leadership should be practiced step by step from childhood. Gems of Nazrul is putting this into practice. I believe in Sadya Afreen Mallick's work and I am confident that Gems of Nazrul will celebrate its 90th anniversary one day."

Sunil Chandra Das also expressed his appreciation, saying, "Events like this are rare. Sadya Afreen Mallick organises it beautifully with musicians and artistes. I am grateful for this honour and thank everyone involved."

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

The award ceremony was followed by live performances by veteran artistes including Dr Asit Roy, Nasima Shaheen Fancy, Shaheed Kabir Polash, Dalia Nausheen, and others. Dr Asit Roy performed the soulful Nazrul song "Sati Har Udashi Bhairab Kadee." Later, Shaheed Kabir Polash, along with students of the Kazi Nazrul Institute, presented "Tomar Bina Tarer Geeti" and performed the solo "Jagoo Arun Bhairaba." The song "Esho Sharod Pratero Pothi" performed by Dalia Nausheen, Nasima Shaheen Fancy and Nahid Momen further captivated the audience.

Speaking about the journey of Gems of Nazrul, founder Sadya Afreen Mallick recalled, "I saw a statue of Nazrul in an abandoned state one day, covered in dust. Being a Nazrul Sangeet singer, I thought of a protest. I called Mayor Anisul Hoque, and many artistes joined us to sing together. Later, I realised we needed a platform for this art form. We later performed at East West University, and Gems of Nazrul has continued to grow since then."

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Over the years, Gems of Nazrul has released 37 songs on YouTube and honours researchers, musicians, and artists every year. This year, two distinguished personalities—a researcher and a musician—were celebrated for their exceptional contribution to Nazrul Sangeet.

The evening beautifully celebrated the timeless works of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, bringing together musicians, admirers, and scholars to honour his artistic brilliance and enduring influence on Bengali music and culture.