Kolkata, May 29 (IANS) Mangala Kanti Roy, the Padma Shri award-winning Sarinda player from Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal, died at his ancestral residence in the district early Friday morning.

Roy received the Padma Shri award on the eve of India’s 74th Republic Day in 2023.

The veteran and centurion artist was suffering from old age-related ailments and throat problems for quite some time.

The legendary artist was 104 years old at the time of his death. In 2023, the highly talented and acclaimed Sarinda player from North Bengal was granted the Padma Shri Award by the Modi government.

On early Friday morning, he died at his ancestral residence at Dhaulagiri village under Aamguri panchayat under Maynaguri block in Jalpaiguri district. The news of his death has brought an ambience of mourning in the entire artists’ fraternity in the state.

He is survived by his wife, three sons, as well as his grandsons and granddaughters.

Confirming the death of this veteran and centurion Sarinda artist, his son Umakanta Roy informed the media persons that the deceased artist was suffering from age-related ailments and throat problems for quite some time.

He was under treatment, first at the Maynaguri Rural Hospital and subsequently at the Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital. After prolonged treatment, he returned to his residence a few days back.

However, as informed by his son, because of acute throat problems, the deceased folk artist reduced food intake drastically for the last few days. “Finally, he died early this morning,” his son said.

Mangala Kanti Roy is widely revered for bringing the extinct folk art of Sarinda music from West Bengal to the national and, to an extent, the international arena. Sarinda, an almost 500-year-old musical instrument, is widely practised by the folk artists in North Bengal.

In 2017, he was granted the “Banga Ratna” award by the West Bengal government, and finally in 2023 he was awarded the coveted “Padma Shri” award by the Narendra Modi-led Union government.

The artists’ circle in West Bengal feel that the demise of Mangala Kanti Roy marks the end of the golden era of folk music from West Bengal.

–IANS

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