Ustad Akhtar Sadmani, Classical Vocal Musician of Bangladesh

Ustad Akhtar Sadmani was born on January 2, 1934 in Dhaka, a traditional city of East Bengal. His father’s name was Akbar Ali and his mother’s name was Khadija Begum. Sadmani, grandson of the famous Khan Bahadur Haji Abdul Gani of Chakhar in Barisal district. Sadmani was very beautiful to look at as a child. From an early age, he was inspired by music and became a big fan of music. He spent his childhood in Calcutta due to his father’s career.

Professor Bobby Daniel, a worthy disciple of the then renowned Ustad Jamir Uddin Khan of India, was living in Kolkata at that time. Akhtar Sadmani was then a student of the famous St. John’s School in Calcutta. Samdani was taken to Professor Daniel in 1944 at the tender age of 10, at the behest of his father. Professor Daniel agreed to teach Sadmani music. Samdani’s music education begins.

He was more interested in music than in English medium school. As a result, in 1945, after finishing the sixth grade, he completely concentrated on music education. Sadmanik accepted Professor Daniel as a child-loving disciple. Samdani’s proper training in pure music continues regularly.

Sadmani pursued for eleven long years through rigorous training and practice. Then Professor Bobby Daniel thought his disciple needed some more training. In 1955, with the special interest and sincere cooperation of Professor Bobby Daniel, Samdani was taken to Ustad Omar Khan, a respected teacher at the famous Morris College in Lucknow, India. Sadmani got the opportunity to become a disciple of Ustad Omar Khan. Ustad Omar Khan was very impressed with the musical talent of this young disciple of 21 years. Keeping Sadmani close to him like his own son, Omar Khan continued to teach him various aspects of classical music.

The famous Ustad Rajjab Ali Khan of the Indian subcontinent was associated with Ustad Omar Khan and Ustad Amir Khan [one of the founders of the music world, the founder of the ‘Indore’ genre]. Ustad Omar Khan and Ustad Amir Khan were “Guru Bhai “. In 1956, Akhtar Sadmani, a devoted musician, got a wonderful opportunity to receive the closeness, generosity and training of Ustad Amir Khan.

Besides, Samdani continued to receive regular music lessons and advice from Amir Khan’s “Guru Bhai” Ustad Omar Khan. And this is why the singing of Ustad Amir Khan Saheb and the craftsmanship of Sarod played by Ustad Omar Khan are especially reflected in the musical life of Akhtar Sadmani. At the same time, their wonderful behavior and generous behavior greatly affected Sadmani’s personal life.

Samdani then met Amanat Ali Khan and Fateh Ali Khan, the well-known master of Patiala Gharana of Indian subcontinent, and gained their companionship and affection. Then Samdani was seen by Ustad Manjur Hossain Khan, Ustad Fayez Mohammad Khan, they also pulled Samdani with affection.

He got a chance to get extensive training on “Kheyal” from these famous musicians. At that time Samdani went to Zahir Uddin Dagar and Fayyaz Uddin Dagar, one of the masters of ‘Dagar Gharana’. He learned about “dhrupad” from the “Dagar” brothers. In this way, Akhtar Sadmani developed himself one by one with the help of renowned musicians of India.

Ustad Akhtar Sadmani became a unique classical musician due to his dedicated music practice, tireless perseverance, and unconditional love for music. His music education and practice lasted for long seventeen years. He made himself through the most sincere and hardest pursuit. Samdani then returned to his beloved homeland of East Pakistan in 1971. A year later, Samdani started playing classical music at the then Radio Pakistan Dhaka Center. Due to Samdani’s sharp melodious voice and excellent singing style, he solidified his position in a very short time. He was well received by the classical music connoisseurs. In addition to performing music regularly, he continued to practice hard following the tradition of gharanadar masters. In this way, four long years pass.

In 1969, Ustad Akhtar Sadmani joined the then Radio Pakistan Dhaka Center as a casual artist on a monthly basis. He got married in the same year. The bride was Dipti Saha, daughter of musician Krishna Lal Saha of Louhjong Kanakshah village in Bikrampur.

One year after the marriage, the first daughter was born by lighting her house. Her first daughter, Mili Akhter, was born on August 15, 1986. The eldest son, Asif Akhtar, was born a year later, on August 30, 1986. The days are spent happily laughing with a daughter and a son.

At that time East Pakistan was changing rapidly. The country was then uniting against the then military rule of West Pakistan. There was intense dissatisfaction in the minds of the Bengali society. The mass uprising of 1969 has a profound effect on the heart of Akhtar Sadmani.

He is a classical musician, there is no question of singing folk music. Even after that he picked up the tool of mass music for the country. He tried to incite people against West Pakistan through provocative songs. On behalf of the artist community, he took part in intense patriarchy. In the struggle for independence, he became one with the people of Qatar. The second son Amin Akhtar Sadmani (Chhotaka) was born on June 7, 1970.

At that time in Bangladesh, the political instability of the country was increasing day by day. The non-cooperation movement, the squabbling of the West Pakistani ruling class, the turbulent environment – all in all, the mind of the artist Akhtar Sadmani is very heavy.

Then the genocide started suddenly. Then the government was formed by declaring independence. Then the war of liberation started. The bloody war lasted for nine long months. Through all the sacrifices of life, honor, wealth, Bangladesh was born on the rubble. The independent state of Bangladesh was born on 16 December 1971 on the world map.

Then began the reconstruction of the country. The following year Samdani decided to join the radio. He joined Bangladesh Betar’s Dhaka Center on 1 August 1972. He started as a music producer.

He is performing his duties with utmost reputation while working in radio. In addition to his own performances, he has worked to improve the quality of classical music performances at the event. He has tried his best to uphold the dignity of classical music. Numerous notes recorded in his voice are still in the archives. His performances are an inspiration to young classical music artists.

He took initiative to broadcast a program called “Uchchang Sangeet Shiksha Asar” from Bangladesh Betar Dhaka Kendra for teaching classical music. He has conducted the program for 5 long years as the program producer. Under his direction, various types of songs including country songs, Ekushey songs, Swadhinata songs, Islamic songs, and folk songs have been broadcast on radio. Ustad Samdani has given tunes and music to many modern songs.

A brief list of the programs Ustad Akhtar Sadmani conducts as music director:

– Ekushey’s lyric design ‘Alphabet of Pride’
– Freedom song ‘Victory flag is flying.’
– Eid-ul-Fitr lyric design ‘Happy Eid today’
– Eid-ul-Azha lyric design ‘across the great minaret of sacrifice’
– Muharram lyric design ‘Karbala’, ‘Tapt Forate’ and ‘On the shores of Euphrates’
– Special lyric design on the occasion of Nazrul Jayanti.
– Song lyrics of the festival of rural Bengal ‘Hazar Nadir Gaan Madhumati’.

Ustad Samdani was an enviable success in music life. He was also very happy in his personal life. He was suddenly divorced on March 15, 1989. Ustad Sadmani was suddenly traumatized by the loss of his wife. Suddenly his regular normal life becomes random. The sky of his melody became throbbing with that pain.

At that time he lost his way with his children, family and work. Seeing the condition of son Sadmani, mother Khadija Begum also decided to remarry him. Eventually, Ustadji agreed to remarry on his mother’s orders. He was married to Rahima Khatun alias Ranu Akhtar.

Read More:

• Read more on Ustad Akhtar Sadmani in Bengali
• Gharanas of Indian Classical Music [ Schools of Music]