Dhiren Das

Dhiren Das is an Indian Musician, Actor, Singer, and Composer. He was born in 1903 in the Bengal Presidency of British India. His father’s name was Kalicharan Das, and he worked as an employee of the Bengal Coal Company in Raniganj. Dhiren Das completed his Bachelor’s Degree at a College in Calcutta city. His early musical education consisted of Shyama Sangeet and devotional songs that were taught by his father.

Dhiren Das's neighbor,  Pandit Radhika Goswami, who was one of the greats of Bishnupur Gharana, used to hear him sing and immediately recognized his talent. After that, Pandit Radhika Goswami asked Dhiren Das to come to him for proper talim. Dhiren Das also received guidance from his next mentor, Satkari Malakar. However, it was under the tutelage of Krishnachandra Dey and Zamiruddin Khan that he truly honed his craft, emerging as a gifted musician.

Later in his career, Dhiren Das formed a close relationship with the legendary rebel poet, writer, and musician Kazi Nazrul Islam Kazi Nazrul Islam is a Bengali Poet, Musician, Wri >> Read More... . This association was also a testament to his musical skills. Nazrul entrusted Dhiren Das with the training and guidance of singing artists after composing songs. This profound trust stemmed from Dhiren Das's deep understanding and mastery of Kazi Nazrul's compositions. Notably, Dhiren Das also played an essential role in the musical arrangements of some of Kazi Nazrul's lyrics. Songs like ‘Kalo Meyer Payer,’ ‘Talai Dekhe Ja,’ and ‘Alor Nachon’ stand as enduring examples of their successful collaboration.

Over the course of his career, he composed about 14 songs for Kazi Nazrul. It can be said that Dhiren Das was not only a performer but also a custodian of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s music. Because of this, he is affectionately referred to as the "Gandhari of Nazrulgeeti.’ In the later part of his life, Dhiren Das decided to become an actor. His inspiration for joining the industry was Sishirkumar Bhaduri. Dhiren Das made his acting debut in 1932 with Jyotish Bannerjee’s ‘ Vishnumaya Bio coming soon... >> Read More... ,’ in which he played the character Narad.

After that, he played the role of Garoyan in Debaki Kumar Bose’s drama ‘Sonar Sansar,’ followed by a small part in ‘Bardidi’ (1939). Dhiren Das passed away in 1961 after a long and successful career in the music industry, and although he is gone, Dhiren Das’s legacy continues to resonate through the melodies and performances that he passionately nurtured throughout his lifetime.