Prafulla Kar Foundation ::


For more than four decades now Praffula Kar has audiences and fans in Orissa and abroad with his distinctive singing , compositions and lyrics. His Position as a performer is Pre-eminent the compelling power of his music continues to attract a large cross section on the listening public. Added to this oblivious talent, his precocity as Music Director and Poet have gradually transformed him into a Cultural Icon of formidable standing. Born in 1939 into a family of Musicians, Praffula Kar showed early promise as a singer at home in Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. His fathers elder brother Sri Khetra Mohan Kar was a renowned Table Player, who could bring down the artistes of National repute Like Hirabai Barodekar, Maitra, A kanan & Malabika Kanan and
many others as family friends to their home. This adorable child of Baidyanath Kar and Susila Kar had opportunity to listen such veterans from childhood and music start ed flowing in his blood at a tender age, but he lost his father at an early age. His career started growing under the guidance of his maternal uncles. His grand father Bhagban Mishra and grand mother Apanna Devi rightly brought him up with moral and spiritual influence. EDUCATION To his and L.L.B degrees from Utkal University he subsequently added the Sangeet Visharad from Akhil Bharat Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Maharastra under the guidance of Pt. Markandeya Mohapatra , Odissi Music from noted gurus of Puri and had deep culture in it. His professional Career in music took off in 1960 and he rapidly established himself as an acclaimed A-Grade Vocalist , Composer and Lyricist for All India Radio . ACHIEVEMENTS IN FILM MUSIC Praffula Kar has directed the music of an amazing for more than 70 Oriya Films (Released an non-released) as well as Four Bengali films. For his outstanding contributions to the field of Film music, the Govt. of Orissa has honoured Sri Kar with Best Dir3ector Award for Oriya films on eight occasions . out of which six were given on consecutive occasions , a record achievements even at the National level. For Best Music Director For Best Playback Singer Mamata 1975 Balidan 1978 Sesa Srabana 1976 Bandhumahanty 1977 Mukti 1977 Sati Anasuya 1978 Tpasya 1978 Sita Laba Kusha 1980 School; Master 1985 For this feat, he earned recognition as a celebrity and was honoured by the Cine- Musicians – Union , Chennai . In 1978 the Govt. of Orissa awarded him as the Best Play Back Singer for the Oriya Film BALIDAN AND THE Critic Circle of India awarded the Best Music Director Award to Shri Kar in 1980 for the Oriya film “RAMAYANA”. Today he “is a colossus in the world of pan Indian Music” Under his music direction in film many play back singers of National repute like Anuradha Paudwal ,Usha Mangeskar, Kavita Krishnamurty,Suresh Wadkar,Md.Aziz,Kishore Kumar, Amit Kumar, etc (from Mumbai)-Vani Jairam , S.Janaki, P. Sushila, Chitra, Swaranalata, Yesu Das, S.P. Balsubramanyam, Manu, etc.(from Chenni)- Arati Mukarjee, Nirmala Mishra, Sipra Bose, Ajaya Chakrabarty, Haimayanti Sukla, etc. (from Kolkata) have rendered their voice for Oriya and Bengali Films. He has introduced more than twenty playback singers of Orissa in his film. More over six eminent play back singers have been awarded the Best Play Back Singers Award by the Govt. of Orissa Under his music direction over the years. Pranab Pattanaik ,for the film SINDURA BINDU & TAPASYA Raghunath Panigrahi, for the film MUKTI. Praffula Kar, for the film BALIDAN. Ajaya Chakrabarty, for the film , SCHOOL MASTER . Vani Jairam, for the film DEVJANI. Gita Dash, for the film GRUHA LAXMI. ACHIEVEMENTS IN NON FILM MUSIC Sri Praffula Kar has recorded hundreds of disks, cassettes and CDs for different Companies, Govt of Orissa and Music Institutions, Notable among them are: Oriya Bhagabat-(Set of seven cassettes published by H.M.V) Oriya Chhanda- (Rare traditional songs of Orissa in set of three cassette published by Orissi Research Centre) Krutanjali- (an album sung by a team of BLIND SINGERS of Orissa, a pioneering endeavor for the handicapped in the field of music for the first time in India-by H.M.V.) Patriotic songs- (written by then eminent Freedom Fighters of Orissa – by Govt. of Orissa and also by Sangget Natak Academi, Orissa. Collection of Geet Govindam of Jayadev- (rendered by Vani Jairam- published by Vani Music Company, Chennai.) Devotional numbers of Anuradha Paudwal –(Prabhukrupa, which had a record breaking sale for more than ten lacs of cassettes as a regional number, published by T-Series, then followed by other landmark numbers like Prabhu Jatra, Sri Jagannath Saranam, Radhika Boile, etc. (b) Praffula Kar’s association with the plastic arts has been long and fruitfully. He has compose the music for numerous Orissi Dance Drama, Ballet and music for Orissi Dance form. Notable among these are the following. Choreographed by: Title Padma Bibhusan Guru a) Jangyaseni (Ballet) Sri Kelu Ch. Mohapatra b) Labanyabati c) Ashoka d) Ekalavya e) Swapna Naika Smt. Sarmila Biswas a) Sampurna b)Katha Surpanakha c)Panchabhoota d)Moorchhana e)Jagannath Priya Natakam Smt. Kumkum Mohanty a)Devi Nrutya b) Aranya c) Mahapralaya d) Jay Yatra e)Bhakta Dasia f) Kranti Guru Sri Gangadhar Pradhan a) Mana Bhanjan Lleana Citaristi a) Siba Tandava b) Bakula Bharan Pallavi Smt . Sandhya Deepa Kar a) Malashri b) Arabhi Pallavi ACHIEVEMENTS AS A LYRICIST & WRITER He was Written thousands of hit songs for each of his films, commercial records ,cassettes and CDs. He has established him self as a ‘A’ Grade own Odissi Dance ballets and Odissi Drama . His books published, compiles of selected devotional Lyrics titled as “Aniya Mala” and “krupajala,” and a dedication to Oriya literature . His creative writings has been highly acclaimed by the eminent writers and people of Orissa. HONOURARY POSITIONS & JURY IN DIFFERENT IMPORTANTANT INSTITUTIONS Apart from the achievements in his field, Sri Kar is also involved as a important member and jury in different institutions, notables among them are: 1. President- Shree Khetra Kala Prakshika ,Puri. 2. President- Sanskar, Bhubaneswar. 3. The only Music Director of Orissa who was Formerly Vice- President of Cine-Musician’s-Union, Chennai& presently continuing as an active life member. 4. The only Music Director of Orissa to be a life member of The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. Mumbai. 5. Jury –National Scholarship board examination conducted by The Center for Cultural Resources & Training, New Delhi. 6. Jury –National Scholarship board examination for different artist conducted by Ministry Audition Board, Cuttack. 7. Jury-All India Redio Audition Board, Cuttack. 8. Member- Academic Council of University of Culture ,Bhubaneswar 9. Member-The expert committee board for formation of Odissi Classical Music conducted by Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 10. Jury-For Orissa Sahitya Academy Award, Orissa. PERFORMANCES AT ABROAD Apart from his extensive tour in India, Praffula Kar has represented India many times to promote Indian and Specially Odissi Music in foreign countries. USSAR-In 1972 Australia-In 1977 Fizzy island-In 1977 U.S.A-In 19786,88,98,2001,2003,2004 U.K-In 1997 BRAZIL-In 2007 DUBAI-In 2008 Sri Kar is currently involved in research on Odissi Music in an effort to establish it as recognized classical Music form of India . He is also trying to bring out the young talented singers of the state in order to establish them in the national Music Scenario through his institution “Sanskar”. His other interest include painting, creating writing and traditional gourmet Oriya Cooking. Top