Akhilbandhu Ghosh

Akhilbandhu Ghosh (Bengali: অখিলবন্ধু ঘোষ; 20 October 1920 – 20 March 1988) was a Bengali male singer from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He is considered as one of the greatest exponents of Bengali classical based vocal music.

Early years
Akhilbandhu Ghosh was born to Sri Bamandas Ghosh and Smt. Manimala Ghosh of Kolkata. In the early years he was a shy and introvert boy. He studied in Bhabanipur Nasiruddin Memorial School of Kolkata. Hemanta Mukherjee was one of his close friends since his childhood days. He received the first lessons in music from his maternal uncle Sri Kalidas Guha. Later he took lessons from Nirapada Mukhopadhyay, Tarapada Chakraborty and Chinmoy Lahiri.[

Personal life
He married Smt. Dipali Ghosh in 1947 and led a very happy married life. Dipali was Akhilbandhu’s disciple and a noted singer too. The childless couple devoted their life in teaching classical based vocal music to hundreds of disciples in their house located at 25, Turf Road, Bhabanipur, Kolkata.

Career
Akhilbandhu published his first album in 1947 containing two songs in 78 RPM record; Ekti kusum jaabe and Amar kanone phutechhilo phul, though some of his unpublished songs were recorded much earlier.[2] He was unparalleled in modern classical based Bengali songs and recorded many songs which became very popular. Some of these are: ‘আজি চাঁদিনি রাতি গো’, ‘ওই যে আকাশের গায়ে, দূরের বলাকা ভেসে যায়’, ‘শিপ্রা নদীর বুকে সন্ধ্যা নামিল হায়’, ‘তোমার ভুবনে ফুলের মেলা’etc.

For several years he was associated with the Bengal Music College, founded by Nanigopal Bhattacharya in 1940.[4]

Discography
List of all songs sung or composed by Akhilbandhu Ghosh (in alphabetical order)

Akhilbandhu Ghosh discography
Year    Song    Singer    Type    Lyrics    Music    Record No./Other    Record Speed
1984    Aaj noy kaal    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Sayd Abul Hasan    Prabir Majumder    2226-1164    EP
1962    Aaji chNadini raati go    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6134    78 RPM
1947    Aamar kanone phutechhilo phul    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Byomkesh Lahiri    Santosh Mukhopadhyay    JNG 5840    78 RPM
1950    Aamar somadhi pore    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pabitra Mitra    Sudhirlal Chakraborty    H 1488    78 RPM
1977    Aami keno rohilam (Darbari Kanada)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Ratu Mukhopadhyay    Ratu Mukhopadhyay    JNLX 1021    LP
1963    Aami kotha dile kotha rakhi    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6163    78 RPM
1960    Aami je piyasi    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Biswanath Bardhan    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6061    78 RPM
-    Aar toh chole na Radha    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Madhusudan Gupta    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    TN 507    78 RPM
1965    Avimani cheye bdekho    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Santosh Mukhopadhyay    JNG 6198    78 RPM
1977    Barosar megh bhese jay (Surdasi Malhar)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1960    Bnashoriya bNashi bajaiyo na    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Shanti Bhattacharya    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6061    78 RPM
1949    Bol kemone jagai    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Anupan Ghatak    H 1440    78 RPM
1949    Chaiti godhuli jay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Anupan Ghatak    H 1440    78 RPM
1977    Dekona taare (Shankara)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1947    Ekti Kusum Jobe    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Santosh Mukhopadhyay    JNG 5840    78 RPM
1961    Emon dine Ma je amar    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Madhu Gupta    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6117    78 RPM
1984    Er naam ki bhalobasa    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Sayd Abul Hasan    Prabir Majumder    2226-1164    EP
-    Gokul chhariya Kala    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Shib Krishna Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    TN 507    78 RPM
1985    Guru mohe de gaye    Sandhya Mukhopadhyay    Bhajan    Kabir Das    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    ECSD 41567    -
1984    Heso na jhore jaabe    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Sayd Abul Hasan    Prabir Majumder    2226-1164    EP
1977    Jaago jaago priyo (Vatiar)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Madhu Gupta    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1980    Jalete sundori koinya    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Sunilbaran    Rotu Bandyopadhyay    JNGS 6354    SP
-    Jamuna kinare    Sandhya Mukhopadhyay    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    GE 25490    45
1964    Je tomay sadhu sajay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6181    78 RPM
1977    Jete jete churi kore chay (Vairabi)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Ratu Mukhopadhyay    Ratu Mukhopadhyay    JNLX 1021    LP
1973    Jeno kichhu mone korona    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Dipali Ghosh    JNGS 6324    SP
1961    Kaar milon chao birohi    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Rabindranath Tagore    Rabindranath Tagore    Matrix No. OJE 17532 (unpublished)    Megaphone (republished 2003)
1959    Kabe achhi kabe nei    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6046    78 RPM
1977    Kemone janabo (Tilak Kamod)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1953    Keno prohor na jete    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Dilip Sarkar    N 82547    78 RPM
1971    Keno tumi bodle gechho    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNGS 6295    SP
1965    Koyelia jaane    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Santosh Mukhopadhyay    JNG 6198    78 RPM
1952    Madol baja ore baja    Akhilbandhu Ghosh, Utpala Sen, Bani Sengupta    Film: Meghmukti    Tarit Kumar Ghosh    Umapati Sil    -    -
-    Mane nei mon    Sandhya Mukhopadhyay    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    GE 25490    45
1977    Marome mori go (Deshi Todi)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1950    Maromia baNshi    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pabitra Mitra    Sudhirlal Chakraborty    H 1488    78 RPM
1953    Mayamrigo samo    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Durga Sen    N 82547    78 RPM
1977    Milano nishithe gele phire (Maj Khamaj)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Indrani Bhattacharya    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1962    Nahoy mon dite tumi parona    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6134    78 RPM
1948    Nutan Jiban Dekhao amare    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Dilip Sarkar    Dilip Sarkar    H 1301    78 RPM
1961    O dayal bichar karo    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6117    78 RPM
-    O Rai ki byadhi hoilo    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Suren Chakraborty    Pankaj Mallick    GE 25007    78 RPM
1977    O go Shyam bihone brindabone (Pilu)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Suren Chakraborty    Pankaj Mallick    JNLX 1021    LP
1977    Aami keno rohilam (Darbari Kanada)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Ratu Mukhopadhyay    Ratu Mukhopadhyay    JNLX 1021    LP
1971    Oi jah aami bolte bhule gechhi    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNGS 6295    SP
1959    Oi je akasher gay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Shanti Bhattacharya    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6046    78 RPM
1948    Phaguner chaNd dube gelo    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    H 1301    78 RPM
1954    Piyal shakhar phNake othe    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Gauriprasanna Mazumder    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    N 82606    78 RPM
1973    Sarati jibon ki je pelam    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Dipali Ghosh    JNGS 6324    SP
1980    Se kemon nupur ogo    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Rotu Bandyopadhyay    JNGS 6354    SP
1977    Se kuhu yamini (Jayjayanti)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Madhu Gupta    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNLX 1021    LP
1964    Sedin chNader alo    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6181    78 RPM
1984    Sesh hoye elo na    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Sayd Abul Hasan    Prabir Majumder    2226-1164    EP
1954    Shipra nodir teere    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Shanti Bhattacharya    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    N 82606    78 RPM
1977    Shono shono (Nag Ranjani)    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Madhu Gupta    Arup Bhattacharya    JNLX 1021    LP
1949    Shrabano rajani sheshe    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Kamal Ghosh    Anupan Ghatak    H 1401    78 RPM
1949    Swapan parabarer teere    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Kamal Ghosh    Anupan Ghatak    H 1401    78 RPM
-    Swapane pohabe rajani    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Classical based    Tapan Bhattacharya    Dipali Ghosh    31008 Sagarika    Cassette
1963    Tomar bhubane phuler mela    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Pulak Bandyopadhyay    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    JNG 6163    78 RPM
1961    Tumi mor paonai porichoy    Akhilbandhu Ghosh    Bengali Modern    Rabindranath Tagore    Rabindranath Tagore    Matrix No. OJE 17532    Unpublished
Legacy
Akhilbandhu Ghosh's songs had become synonymous with the romantic ode in Bengali. Kabir Suman, an artist who initiated New wave in Bengali modern songs, mentioned Akhilbandhu Ghosh in one of his compositions of 1970, বয়স আমার মুখের রেখায় (Bayas amar mukher rekhay), where it was said,

একলা লাগার সময় মানে
  নিজের সঙ্গে কথা বলা
    তারই মাঝে কোথায় যেন
        অখিলবন্ধু ঘোষের গলা

When lonely moments get lonelier,
And we sink into ourselves talking to our inner self,
'Tis not hard to find, assuring and comforting as ever
The resonating voice of Akhilbandhu Ghosh
Death
On March 20, 1988, Akhilbandhu came back from Andal attending a musical soiree, feeling unwell. He was admitted to P G Hospital first, and shifted to Sambhunath Pandit Hospital. He breathed his last in the afternoon, survived by his wife and three sons.