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Welcome break for singer

Staff Reporter

Naveen releases Jitendra Haripal's compilation of patriotic songs

BHUBANESWAR: His legendary song enthralled thousands of people in and outside the State in early 1980s and instantly elevated him to the category of special singers in Orissa. But what happened next was a cruel dream, which the singer took more than two decades to overcome.

Meet Jitendra Haripal, singer of `Rangabati', which has become a household number, and wedding parties lose sheen without this song.

Mr. Haripal was in tears when his cassette, `Aman', a compilation of six patriotic songs, was released by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State capital on Tuesday, marking the second big break in his life.

Where was he all these years? At one-room tenement in Station Pada in Sambalpur town, the legendary singer had been fighting with obscurity and there was no taker for his songs after `Rangabati'.

Turning point

But the turnaround took place when a group of sensitive journalists discovered Mr. Haripal, who was struggling to find a place in signers' league.

"Rangabati is more than a song and Jitendra Haripal is more than a singer," described P. Sainath, Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu on Tuesday. Mr. Sainath's piece on this forgotten singer had actually drawn attention of admirers of `Rangabati' a couple of years ago.

He said: "The song had cut across all linguistic barriers and become the greatest hit ever. Everybody respected the song but forgot the singer."

The person who held the copyright of the song earned huge money and Mr. Haripal was cheated and pushed to slum, Mr. Sainath said.

When Mr. Haripal held the mike to speak a few words on the occasion he was the same down to earth man, seeking apology from everybody whose name he had forgotten to thank for the break.

The singer, too, did not complain for the "ill treatment" meted out by society.

"No matter if I have been forgotten. But it is a huge honour that people still remember the song." The Chief Minister was also effusive in his praise for the singer who had contributed music for Orissa's tableau that participated in the Republic Day parade and won the first prize.

Mr. Sainath urged distributors to come forward and take the assignment of propagating new audiocassette prepared by the singer by spending hard-earned money.

Felicitations

The event was organised by Akhil Bharatiya Nagari Parishad. The artists who contributed to `Rangabati' were felicitated on the occasion.

They were: Krishna Patel, co-singer, who could not make it to the event, Mitrabhanu Gauntia, lyricist, Prabhudatta Pradhan, music director, and Chaitnya Paik, the Sambalpuri instrumental music artist.

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