Eminent classical vocalist Ustad Akhtar Sadmani’s 10th death anniversary is today. The founder of Sur Rang Academy of Classical Music which was established in 1980 solely devoted to promote Indian Classical Music.
Ustad Akhtar Sadmani was born in Dhaka, but was brought up in Kolkata. The musician was always keen to spread his knowledge of Indian Classical Music in his homeland Bangladesh. To create and establish a platform for classical musical practice and appreciation in Bangladesh, Sur Rang Academy of Classical Music in Pallabi cateres to spread the knowledge of Indian classical music to the enthusiasts in Bangladesh.
At present the academic institution is being run by his son Asif Akhtar and daughter Mily Akhtar Sadmani. Mily is the tutor of the institution and trains instrumentalists on harmonium, tanpura and tabla. Ustad Akhtar Sadmani’s dream was to enrich the classical music not only to elites, also to the common people in Bangladesh. The academic institution’s motive is to inspire common people to learn classical music and get accustomed to the legacy of Ustad Akhtar Sadmani .
“After the departure of his soul in 2003, the family members had faced different crises to run the academy. At present, the institution is settled and we have around twenty students in the school,” says his son Asif Akhtar. “Renowned media personalities such as Akhi Alamgir, Nusrat Imroz Tisha, Shampa Reza took their music lesson from this institution,” states Asif Akhtar.
At the age of ten, Ustad Sadmani received the initial training from Prof Bobby Daniel. In 1955, Prof Bobby Daniel took him to the renowned musician Ustad Omar Khan. Ustad Omar Khan was utterly impressed by his talent and took young Akhter as his son and continued teaching him. In 1957, Ustad Omar Khan personally introduced Akhtar Sadmani to one of the legends of Indian Classical Music, Ustad Amir Khan. The result was overwhelming as his voice resembled that of Ustad Amir Khan and he could deliver the sarod skills of Ustad Omar Khan through his vocal.
In 1961, Ustad Akhtar Sadmani returned home and joined Radio Bangladesh a year later as an artiste. He became a Music Director in Radio Bangladesh in 1966. The maestro received posthumous Ekushey Padak in 2011.