Today is the 87th birth anniversary of Feroza Begum—fondly called the ‘Nightingale of Bangladesh’ by many people, who devoted herself to popularising the music of Kazir Nazrul across South Asia and around the world.

To mark the birth anniversary of Feroza Begum, Dhaka University (DU) has organised an event for the second time at Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban yesterday. Eminent Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya awarded with this year’s ‘Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal’ at the programme.

DU Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique handed over the medal to Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya. Presided over by DU Treasurer Professor Dr Md Kamal Uddin, DU Arts Faculty Dean Professor Abu Mohammad Delwar Hossain was present as special guest. The programme was also attended by DU Music Department Chair Dr Mohsina Khanam Lina Taposhi and Chairman of ACI Foundation and Feroza Begum Trust Fund donor Anis Ud Dowla.

Born in 1930 in Gopalganj to the zamindars of Ratail Ghonaparha, Feroza Begum had the rare experience of securing second position in any classes of her school or college life. She was guided by two true mentors, her father Khan Bahadur Mohammad Ismail, a famous lawyer and her mother Kaokabunnesa Begum, a true promoter of music with a sweet voice.

In her long seven-decade of music career, Feroza Begum performed in about 80 solo musical shows at home and abroad. All her life she enthralled the audience with the rendition of Nazrul Sangeet, besides singing other genres of songs like Modern, Geet, Gazhal, Bhajan and Hamd-Naat. Before she died, she released as many as 12 LPs, four EPs, six CDs and more than 20 audio albums.

Feroza Begum, for her outstanding contribution to Nazrul Sangeet, received numerous awards in her lifetime; among others, the list of her prominent awards include–  Independence Award, Ekushey Award, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Award, Nasiruddin Gold Award, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Gold Award, Nazrul Sangeet Artist Award (several times consecutively), Nazrul Academy Award, Churulia Gold Award, D. Litt from Bardhaman University, Meril-Prothom-alo Lifetime Achievement Award. She also received a Gold Disk from the renowned Japanese audio production company CBS.

Feroza Begum died on September 9 in 2014. Feroza Begum left behind her three sons Tahsin, Hamin and Shafin, as well as countless adoring fans.