Prem Dhoj Pradhan

Prem Dhoj Pradhan (Nepali: प्रेम ध्वज प्रधान; 6 June 1938 – 6 May 2021) was a Nepalese musician born in Chautara.[1] He was a singer, composer, and regional playback singer. He sang in the two major languages of Nepal: Newari and Nepali. He was also known as the Golden Voice and King of Romantic Melodies of Nepal.[2]

Prem Dhoj Pradhan
Background information
Birth namePrem Dhoj Pradhan
Born6 June 1938
Chautara, Nepal
Died6 May 2021 (age 82)
Sundhara, Kathmandu
GenresNepali, Nepal Bhasa
Years active1944–2021

Prem Dhoj was the first musician to perform with a guitar in Nepal, and was the first Nepali singer to sing with Indian playback singer Usha Mangeshkar for the movie Maitighar in 1965. In 1985, he sang duet songs with Asha Bhosle for the movie Mayalu in Bombay, India. Prem Dhoj varied his musical style throughout his career and recorded approximately 700 songs on Radio Nepal, including live broadcasting and recorded songs.

Early life

Prem Dhoj Pradhan was born in 1938 in Chautara, a small town 28 miles east of Kathmandu. His mother, Pran Devi Pradhan, a talented singer, taught him his first lessons in music. Starting in 1954, he spent fifteen months studying with the late Ganesh Lal Shrestha. He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1967 from Saraswati College, TU. Nepal.[1]

Musical career

1950s

In 1952, when Prem Dhoj was sixteen, he participated in a voice test sponsored by Radio Nepal. The first song he sang was "Yad Kasaikko Aairahecha Yo Andheri Ratama".

1960s

In 1961, Prem Dhoj had to stop singing for two years after undergoing surgery to remove a non-malignant polyp in his left vocal cord. During the hiatus, he adopted the guitar as part of his new style, becoming the first Nepali singer to do so. He began performing again later that year, and he was awarded a prize for the best voice in the All Nepal Modern Songs Competition in 1963 for "Goreto Tyo Gaunko".[1]

After mastering his signature style, Prem Dhoj released his first LP records in the autumn of 1963. By the end of 1969, he had recorded 32 songs.[1]

Unable to find a sponsor, Prem Dhoj personally funded eleven out of his sixteen discs. Towards the end of 1964, Prem Dhoj recorded eight songs in Nepali and six in Newari.[1]

In November 1965, Prem Dhoj was invited by Jaidev to sing with Usha Mangeshkar for the Nepali film, Maiti Ghar.[1]

1970s

In 1970, in his own music composition, he recorded ten Nepali songs in an album titled Himalayan Bouquet from Swinging Kathmandu. In the same year he also recorded bhajan songs (six pieces) under Jaidev.[1]

Death

Pradhan died on 6 May 2021, at Neuro and General Hospital, Sundhara, Kathmandu, after being hospitalized with breathing problems and chest pain.[3]

Honours and awards
  1. Received Narayan Gopal Sangeet Summan from Lunkaran-Ganga CSKM, November 2002 [4][5][6]
  2. Felicitated by Nepal Music Welfare Fund for significant contribution to Nepalese music[7]

References
  1. "Prem Dhoj pradhan". Artist Nepal. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011.
  2. Subba, Abhilasha (6 August 2010). "King of romantic melodies". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  3. "Senior musician Prem Dhoj Pradhan passes away". Himalayan Times. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  4. https://archive.is/20130123215908/http://fursad.com/nepal_top_artist_news.php?id=121&title=Prem+Dhoj+Pradhan%E2%80%99s+Solo+Performance+After+41+years
  5. "गायक प्रेमध्वज प्रधानको निधन". Onlinekhabar.com.
  6. "Prem Dhoj Pradhan to be honoured - Entertainment Magazine from Nepal …".
  7. "Noted musicians honoured". Gorkhapatra.
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