“Unity is the key to keeping the legacy of the National Poet alive” – Sadya Afreen Mallick

Eminent Nazrul Sangeet exponent Sadya Afreen Mallick is one of the most celebrated names in the music industry. In addition to being awarded the prestigious Nazrul Puroshkar by Nazrul Institute, the Ministry of Culture in 2016 and the Gold Medal by Anandadhara, she also won the Gold Medal at Chhayanaut. The 45th death anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, the artiste talks about her initiatives to popularise the poet's creations among the younger generations, and more.

Speaking of how she is planning her way forward, Sadya Afreen Mallick highlights the importance of familiarising the current generation with Nazrul's ideology, philosophy and conscience. "There is no denying that Nazrul's preaching and teachings are very much valid and relatable in today's society," shares the singer. "However, very little initiative is being taken to bring Nazrul to the younger generations. This is why we started working as a team named Gems of Nazrul about 6 years ago."

The singer also looks to revive the lesser known melodies of Nazrul as without she fears the creations will be forgotten if not practiced. "Songs like 'Shongho Shorono Tirtho Jatra',  Joy Hok and more are amazing creations but are being forgotten as we don't come across initiatives that feature these numbers. Bringing them to the young listeners will shape their choice while make them better social beings," asserts Sadya Afreen Mallick.

Sadya Afreen Mallick believes that the media plays a pivotal role in keeping the legacy of Nazrul alive among the younger generation. Telecasting his teachings through his songs and his writing will not only prove to be more entertaining for the audience but it will also help present Nazrul's conscience in a way that the current audience finds trendy.

"Anything that stimulates our visual and auditory senses remain longer within us than just memorising. We must bear in mind that we want our people to know more about Nazrul, to love and respect him. Instead of just being able to recite his poems through memorisation, treasuring him in our heart compassionately will lead to revolutionary changes in the mindset of the future generations," adds Sadya Afreen Mallick.

While Sadya Afreen Mallick is in favour of adaptations, she strongly resists degrading Nazrul's creations just to fit the choice of the audience. "Knowing your roots is very important I feel as without our roots, we become indispensable," she mentions. "I do not mind upgrading our culture to make it better, but I can never tolerate the destruction of our culture and traditions prompted by the so called wave of modernism."

This year, Gems of Nazrul has pledged to bring forward the lost melodies of the National Poet. The cultural group has been organising multiple online events and performances, featuring both prominent and promising Nazrul artistes around the world. "We are getting musicians from France, Singapore, England, America and many other countries across globe, who respect Nazrul just as we do, to join us. Unity is the key to keeping the legacy of the National Poet alive.