Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik remembered the legendary Odia singer Akshay Mohanty (Khoka Bhai) on his Birth Anniversary.
CM Patnaik today took to Twitter and remembered the greatest music director of all time in the Odia entertainment industry on his birth anniversary.
ଓଡ଼ିଶାର କିମ୍ବଦନ୍ତୀ ଗାୟକ, ସଙ୍ଗୀତଜ୍ଞ ତଥା ଶତାଧିକ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଗଳ୍ପ, କବିତା, ଗୀତ, ଉପନ୍ୟାସର ଅନନ୍ୟ ସ୍ରଷ୍ଟା ଅକ୍ଷୟ ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ଜୟନ୍ତୀରେ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି। ସମାଜର ସମସାମୟିକ ସ୍ଥିତି ଓ ବାସ୍ତବ ଚରିତ୍ରକୁ ନେଇ ସଂଗୀତ ରଚନା ସହ ପରିବେଷଣ ଶୈଳୀ ଏବଂ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାହିତ୍ୟରେ ତାଙ୍କ କାଳଜୟୀ ସୃଜନ ସୃଷ୍ଟି ସର୍ବଦା ପ୍ରେରଣାର ଉତ୍ସ ହୋଇ ରହିବ। pic.twitter.com/xuLk0WpoCE
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) October 12, 2022
Though this legendary singer-lyricist-music composer all-in-one is dead since long – 17 November 2002, he still reigns in the hearts of millions of Odias with his evergreen songs and lilting music.
Born at Bankimundai (today’s Cuttack district) and fondly called Khoka Bhai, Mohanty never received any formal training in music. But solely rose to fame with his determination and sheer love for music. And since he had received no training, he experimented freely breaking the traditional bounds of music. His ideas were a breath of fresh air for the Odia music aficionados.
At 22, he joined a Government job at Cuttack but left it after seven years to pursue his love for music. He recorded his first song Gadiala Bhai Dharichhi Sura Re in the 50s. His first song as a playback singer was Gori Gori Gori in the 1959 Odia movie Maa. Mohanty went on to compose memorable music for astounding 75 movies with composing over a thousand songs and penning hundreds of them.
He contributed in genres such as film scores, folk music, Odissi music, bhajan, ballad music, and non-film modern light songs. His few famous romantic numbers are Smruti Tume, Ja Ja Re Bhasi Bhasi Ja, Nanda Mundia Driver, Tik Tik Tik Ghanta Chale. His few famous bhajans are Eka To Bhakata Jibana, Kene Gheni Jauchha Jagannathanku, Dasavatara (Gita Govinda), Jaya Jaya Jagannatha. Mohanty also penned three ballads in his lifetime- Kanchi Abhijana, Randipua Ananta, and Konarak Gatha.
In addition to Odia music, he also wrote several short story collections, novels, a travelogue and a semi-autobiography.
Not just hearts, Akshaya Mohanty also won several accolades. He bagged the Jayadev Award (highest State Award in the Odia movies). He also won the State Award for Best Playback Singer seven times and State Award for Best Composer two times. Additionally, he also received several awards from Orissa Cinecritic Association. He had also recorded a popular drama, Patent Medicine, which went on to win the best radio drama award from the All India Radio (AIR).
He is survived by two sons and two daughters. His wife Prabina Mohanty breathed her last on June 1, 2019.
