Soma profiles Baisakhi Chakraborty, a bi-lingual writer and poet, musician and theatre artiste, exclusively for Different Truths.

Baishakhi Chakraborty is more popular as Chatty Baishakhi. She is just a girl next door (a lady rather). Baishakhi was born and brought up in a small but culturally rich town Uttarpara, Hooghly in a very conservative family. Since her childhood, she had a passion for reading, writing, vocal music and drama. Her father was her first guru to teach classical vocal music as well as recitation and drama. Her mother who is a voracious reader encouraged her in various cultural activities.

She started writing from childhood when third or fourth standard. Her mother told her to keep all the writings and it was her wish to publish these in the form of a book.

She started writing from childhood when third or fourth standard. Her mother told her to keep all the writings and it was her wish to publish these in the form of a book. After completing M.A. in English and some other certification courses, she started working in education as well as corporate sector and by the time completed MBA in HR. Life was not a bed of roses for her. She has seen rough patches of life and learned from there. After getting jolted, time and again, in life, she took her pen to express her feelings and fulfil the desire of her mother.

Her first book on poems, Suchonde Srijon, was published, in 2019, which she has dedicated to her mother and late father. She is working on a novel in English. Her writings, poems and stories, have been published in many Bengali magazines. She writes for different national and international forums, poetry and literary groups.

Her book is Suchande Srijon is a book of Bengali poems. It has 42 multidimensional verses.

Her book is Suchande Srijon is a book of Bengali poems. It has 42 multidimensional verses. These are on nature; and on society. Some express the pain of a woman, while others deal with love. From Devi Durga to the deprived women she deals with various aspects.

Her forthcoming English novel, In Retrospect, explores psychological relationship between a mother and a child. There is suspense in presentation of the characters, which would be disclosed at the end of the story.

She was admitted in Rag Rup, a classical vocal music institute and learned thoroughly classical music from Aparna Dev, who was a disciple of Ustad Aamir Khan of Kirana Gharana.

Baishakhi started learning classical vocal music when she was six or seven years old. Her first Guru was her father.  For almost two years she was under the guidance of her father. Then she was admitted in Uttarpara Sangeet Chakra, a renowned institute for classical music. Thereafter, she was admitted in Rag Rup, a classical vocal music institute and learned thoroughly classical music from Aparna Dev, who was a disciple of Ustad Aamir Khan of Kirana Gharana. She successfully completed Sangeet Prabhakar and Sangeet Bhibhakar and took part in many competitions of Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Thumri and Bhajan. After couple of years, she has learned Nazrulgeeti and Rabindra Sangeet from Sri Bhutnath Bagchi. She took part in many prestigious competitions like one organised by Sangeet Research Academy and Bangiyo Sangeet Parishad.

Since childhood she took part in drama and recitation under the guidance of her father. She acted in the group of eminent artists Late Geeta Dey, when she was only 6-year-old. She won many prizes in different competitions.

Recently she received the prestigious award, Nobel Laureate Kabi Rabindranath Tagore Award 2019.

Photo sourced by the author