Firoza Begum’s 6th Death Anniversary Today

Today is the 6th anniversary of the death of legendary Firoza Begum, exponent of Nazrul Sangeet. Firoza Begum was born on July 28, 1930, and was a popular subcontinent musician. Her tunes and unique style of singing made her Nazrul Sangeet Queen.

While studying in sixth grade, Firoza first sang on All India Radio. At age 10, she met with the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. She became his student. She recorded her first Islamic song in 78 rpm disk format by the gramophone record firm HMV in 1942. Since then, 12 LP, 4 EP, 6 CD and more than 20 audio cassette records have been released. She lived in Kolkata from 1954 until she moved to Dhaka in 1967.

In 1956, Firoza Begum was married to the singer, composer, and lyricist Kamal Dasgupta (who converted to Islam before the marriage and took the name Kamal Uddin Ahmed) Kamal died July 20, 1974. Two of their 3 sons are musicians, Hamin Ahmed and Shafin Ahmed.

For her unstinting dedication to music, Firoza Begum got many awards at home and abroad including, Independence Day Award (1979), Netaji Subhash Chandra Award, Satyajit Ray Award, Nasiruddin Gold Medal, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Gold Medal, Best Nazrul Sangeet Singer Award, Nazrul Academy Award, Churulia Gold Medal, Gold Disk from CBS, Japan, Meril-Prothom Alo Lifetime honorary award (2011) and Sheltech Award (2000).

In 2016, an award named 'Firoza Begum Memorial Gold Medal' was introduced by the authority of Dhaka University to keep the name of Firoza Begum alive. Each year since the award's inception, the University of Dhaka has been awarding 'Firoza Begum Gold Medal' to a nationally recognized music artist.

It is worth mentioning that in 2016 , 2017, 2018 and 2019 Dhaka University awarded artists Sabina Yasmin, Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, Runa Laila, Farida Parveen consecutively for the Feroza Begum Memorial Gold Medal.

Firoza Begum breathed her last on September 9 in 2014 at Apollo Hospital in the capital due to heart and kidney problems.