Prem Dhoj Pradhan
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Prem Dhoj Pradhan (6 June 1938 – 6 May 2021) was a Nepalese musician. He was a singer, composer, and regional playback singer. He sang in the two major languages of Nepal: Newari and Nepali. He was also known as the Golden Voice and King of Romantic Melodies of Nepal. Pradhan was the first musician to perform with a guitar in Nepal, the First to perform solo concerts, and the first Nepali singer to sing with Indian playback singer
Usha Mangeshkar Usha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Marathi, Manipuri, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Odia and Assamese songs. She is the youngest among four Mangeshkar sisters, after Lata Mangeshkar, Meena ...
for the movie ''Maitighar'' in 1965. In 1985, he sang duet songs with
Asha Bhosle Asha Bhosle (; ; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur, actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the media as one of the ...
for the movie ''Mayalu'' in Bombay, India. Pradhan varied his musical style throughout his career and recorded approximately more than 700 songs in both languages combined on
Radio Nepal Radio Nepal () is the state-owned Radio broadcasting organisation of Nepal. It was established on 2 April 1951. Radio Nepal airs programs on shortwave, medium wave (AM broadcasting, AM) and FM broadcasting, FM frequencies. Regular broadcasts ...
, including live broadcasting and recorded songs.


Early life

Prem Dhoj Pradhan was born on 6 June, 1938, in Chautara, a small town 28 miles east of
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
, to Ratna Dhoj Pradhan, a businessman, and Pran Devi Pradhan, a musician. Pradhan's parents separated when he was young, and he went on to be raised by his mother and her family, who imbued in him a love of music. His mother was a talented performer and taught him about music. He also tells the story of listening to classical music for an hour every night with his grandfather at a time when the radio was banned for ordinary Nepalese. He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1967 from Saraswati Multiple Campus,
Tribhuvan University Tribhuvan University (TU; ) is a public university located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu Valley, Kathmandu, Nepal. Established in 1959, TU is the oldest and the largest university in Nepal. It offers 1,000 undergraduate and 500 postgraduate programs a ...
, Nepal.


Musical career


1950s

Pradhan's music career began in 1952 when he attended a voice test at Radio Nepal. The station, which was once permitted only to broadcast political information, began serving in the early 1950s as a platform for Nepali artists like Pradhan, allowing them to sing two songs every month. Two years later, starting in 1954, Pradhan spent fifteen months studying with the late Ganesh Lal Shrestha. He also, around this time, started performing in Kathmandu with a group of eight other musicians, becoming the first group in the country to perform concerts. And in 1957, together with Tara Devi, he became the first Nepali singer to record a song for Radio Nepal, as opposed to playing live.


1960s

In 1961, Pradhan had to stop singing for two years after undergoing surgery to remove a non-malignant polyp in his left vocal cord. During the hiatus, he adopted the guitar as part of his new style, becoming the first Nepali singer to do so. He began performing again later that year, and he was awarded a prize for the best voice in the All Nepal Modern Songs Competition in 1963 for "''Goreto Tyo Gaunko''". After mastering his signature style, he released his first LP records in the autumn of 1963. By the end of 1969, he had recorded 32 songs. Unable to find a sponsor, Pradhan personally funded eleven out of his sixteen discs. Towards the end of 1964, he recorded eight songs in Nepali and six in Newari. In November 1965, he was invited by
Jaidev Jaidev (3 August 1918 – 6 January 1987; born Jaidev Verma) was a music composer in Hindi films, most known for his work in films: '' Hum Dono'' (1961), '' Reshma Aur Shera'' (1971), '' Prem Parbat'' (1973), '' Gharaonda'' (1977) and '' Ga ...
to sing with
Usha Mangeshkar Usha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Marathi, Manipuri, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Odia and Assamese songs. She is the youngest among four Mangeshkar sisters, after Lata Mangeshkar, Meena ...
for the Nepali film, ''Maiti Ghar''.


1970s

In 1970, in his own music composition, he recorded ten Nepali songs in an album titled ''Himalayan Bouquet from Swinging Kathmandu''. In the same year he also recorded bhajan songs (six pieces) under Jaidev.


Death

Pradhan died on 6 May 2021, at Neuro and General Hospital, Sundhara,
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
, after being hospitalized with breathing problems and chest pain.


Honours and awards

# ''Received Narayan Gopal Sangeet Samman'' from Lunkaran-Ganga CSKM, November 2002 # Felicitated by Nepal Music Welfare Fund for significant contribution to Nepalese music


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pradhan, Prem Dhoj 1938 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Nepalese male singers Newar-language singers Nepalese playback singers People from Sindhupalchowk District Newar-language lyricists Tribhuvan University alumni