Today marks the 100th birth anniversary of one of India’s most gifted musical minds, Salil Chowdhury, fondly known as Salilda. In a world filled with musicians, few have been able to create music that is not just heard, but felt; fewer still have mastered multiple art forms with such elegance and vision. Salil Chowdhury was one of those rare talents. He was a composer, lyricist, poet, arranger and musician.

Early life and musical awakening:

Salil’s journey began in the quiet village of Gazipur, West Bengal, on November 19, 1925. But it was in the lush tea gardens of Assam where he spent his childhood and that he first tuned in to the music of life. His father, a man who organised local plays for the tea garden workers, introduced young Salil to the world of performance and expression. It

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