Mumbai: Kaumudi Munshi, the Nightingale of Gujarat passed away on Tuesday after being confined with coronavirus. The 93 year old Munshi took her last breath at Somaiya Hospital in Sion. Munshi was known for her melodious voice and the contribution to the world of music.
Paying last respect to her, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his condolences in Gujarati, said, “I am saddened by the demise of Kaumudi Munshi, the leading singer of Gujarati Sugam Sangeet. Her contribution in popularizing Gujarati Sugam Sangeet will always be remembered by the music loving generations…”
Kaumudi Munshi was born in 1928 to a bilingual family speaking Hindi and Gujarati in Varanasi. The art and literature prevailed in her family, her uncle Ramanlal Vasantlal Desai was a notable Gujarati novelist in pre-Independent India. Munshi graduated with an arts degree in Music from Banaras Hindu University.
Kaumudi Munshi moved to Mumbai in 1951 with the dream of becoming a singer on radio as it was a respectable choice for women in those days. She met a family friend, Ninu Mazumdar, a composer and lyricist associated with Mumbai’s film industry and the All India Radio (AIR), they met in 1952. She was selected in an audition for AIR and the rest was history. Munshi with her sugam sangeet went on to become one of the most beloved voices in India.
Munshi’s journey from student to becoming guru is also fascinating. She was trained by the legendary thumri exponent, Siddheshwari Devi, took ghazals training under Taj Ahmed Khan. She was also in Bhojpuri folk songs, dadra and chaiti. Later, she became a guru with students such as Grammy-nominee Falu. Munshi was a versatile singer, from classical, light music, a garba or a ghazal, she was able to capture the hearts of her audiences in Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu However, the Gujarati community will forever hold Munshi close to its heart, and ears, for the soothing quality of her light music or sugam sangeet.
She is survived by her son, music producer Uday Mazumdar, and stepdaughters, actor Meenal Patel and feminist Sonal Shukla.