Singer Mohan Singh’s beloved son Bikram, a talented musician died young

Mohan Singh was not just a singer, he was also a great musician and loved playing instruments while singing, including Tanpura and Esraj. These two instruments incidentally were also a great favourite of Rabindranath Tagore himself. Mohan Singh’s two sons, Bikram and Abir, were also raised in a musical environment and hence got attracted to music since their childhood. While elder son Bikram took song lessons from his father, younger son Abir took up an instrument. Bikram was born in Punjab and Mohan Singh’s wife called him Pinku.

Since childhood being raised in a home where songs and instruments were galore, Abir always used to be attracted to them. He often picked up different instruments in Ronodhir Roy’s home and played on them. Even Ronodhir Roy used to be surprised at the child’s interest and how he tried playing the instruments to perfection. However, Bikram Singh was as talented as his father, though he did not live long. Whenever his topic comes up, Mohan Singh remembers his son, his dear Pinku. He recalls often how the child born in Punjab was fair and could sing ‘Sa’ at the age of only one and a half years. Even Ustadji was surprised to hear the tune at such a young age. Bikram was also a regular at Kanika Bandopadhyay’s home since the age of 6. Many a time he used to sit on her lap, write poems, sing songs. Mohor di lovingly called him ‘Kobi.’ But that talented Bikram did not live long. 

Transcribed from an original interview of Mohan Singh Khangura taken by Arpita Chatterjee