Swarnim Lamsal, Kathmandu
Sept 21. Shanti Thatal, a senior Nepali singer and composer from Darjeeling, India has been nominated for the prestigious Jagadambashree Honor for the year 2020. A press release issued by the Madan Puraskar Trust chair Kunda Dixit from Kathmandu on Sunday made this declaration. The press release also announced Maharani, a novel by Chandra Prakash Baniya as winner of Madan Puraskar, the most prestigious literary award for a Nepali book every year. Each of these honors carries a cash prize of 400,000 rupees, along with a citation.
Thatal, the first female composer of the Nepali film industry, has several highly famous songs like “Samhalera rakha” and “Udi jaun bhane” to her credit. Born in Darjeeing district of the West Bengal province of India, Thatal initially learned music under the guidance of Shiva Prasad Singh and Bhanu Ghosh. Later she went to Calcutta to learn music at Rabindra Bharati University. Back home, she became a part of the Himalaya Kala Mandir, where she received mentorship of Ambar Gurung, another legendary music composer and singer.
Besides singing, Thatal also got engaged in several jobs, first as a music teacher, and later at Director at the Culture Department of the Sikkim Government. She presently lives in Darjeeling.
Besides several individual songs of high acclaim, Thatal’s fame as a composer rests in the incredible music she composed for Euta Nilo Suryasta, a music play by Ishwar Ballav, and films like Paralko Aago, Bachana Chahane Haru etc.