Sanjida Khatun dies
Sanjida Khatun, a titan of Bangladeshi musicology and a founding spirit of Chhayanaut, slipped into eternity Tuesday at 3:00pm, surrounded by the sterile hum of Square Hospital’s ICU in the capital. She was 91.
Her passing, confirmed by daughter-in-law Ruchira Tabassum Naved and Chhayanaut General Secretary Laisa Ahmed Lisa, closes a chapter of artistry and resilience that shaped a nation’s cultural soul.
Sanjida had battled diabetes, pneumonia, and kidney disease for years, her strength tested by recurring illness. Admitted to Square Hospital a week ago, she fought on, as she had before with the same afflictions, Lisa noted. “She’d been here earlier, same struggles,” she said. This time, the music faded—her body, a vessel of song and spirit, could carry no more.
Born April 4, 1933, Sanjida wove a life rich with learning and legacy. A bachelor’s in Bengali literature from the University of Dhaka in 1955 led her to Visva-Bharati University, where she earned an MA in Bangla language by 1957. Teaching stints at Eden Mohila College and Carmichael College honed her craft before she joined her alma mater’s faculty, illuminating Bengali literature for generations.
But her heart beat loudest for music and freedom. In the early 1960s, she co-founded Chhayanaut, a cultural beacon, and later served as its president, nurturing Rabindra Sangeet’s roots in Bangladesh.
When the Liberation War erupted in 1971, Sanjida helped birth the Bangladesh Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha, rallying artists to the cause. Her voice—scholarly, steadfast—became a soundtrack to struggle and triumph.
Honours trailed her like notes in a raga: the Ekushey Padak in 1991, Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1998, twin accolades in 2010—Rabindra Award and a Lifetime Achievement nod from the Citycell-Channel i Music Awards—followed by Visva-Bharati’s Deshikottoma in 2012.
In 2021, India bestowed its Padma Shri, a fourth-highest civilian nod, cementing her cross-border resonance. The Kabi Jasimuddin Award crowned her shelf, a quiet testament to her muse.
