Eminent folk artist Sushama Das, who was honored with the Ekushey Padak in 2017 for her contributions to folk music, has passed away at the age of 95. Her second son, Probir Das, confirmed the news.
She breathed her last on Wednesday (March 26) afternoon at her residence in Sylhet City. She is survived by four sons and two daughters.
Her passing has left the cultural community of Sylhet in deep mourning. Upon hearing the news, admirers and well-wishers gathered at her home throughout the afternoon and evening to pay their respects.
According to Probir Das, Sushama Das had been suffering from age-related ailments for many days. On March 13, she became critically ill, teetering between life and death. Since then, she had remained at her home in Howladar Para, Sylhet. Her final rites will be held in her ancestral village, Chakuya, in Shalla Upazila, Sunamganj.
Born in 1929 in the Putka village of Shalla Thana, Dirai Upazila, Sunamganj, Sushama Das was the eldest daughter of renowned folk poets Rashiklal Das and Dibyamayi Das. She was the eldest of six siblings, including her younger brother, classical musician and fellow Ekushey Padak recipient, Pandit Ramkanai Das.
Throughout her illustrious career, she performed alongside legendary folk artists like Baul Emperor Shah Abdul Karim, Baul Durbin Shah, Ali Hossain Sarkar, and Kamal Pasha.
Her dedication to folk music earned her numerous accolades beyond the Ekushey Padak, including the Rabindra Padak (2019), Kolkata Baul Fakir Utsav Honor (1417 in the Bengali calendar), Jadavpur University Honor, Lalon Shah Foundation Honor, District Shilpakala Academy Distinguished Personality Award (2015), and Bangladesh Betar Distinguished Personality Award.
Her passing marks the end of an era in Bangladeshi folk music, leaving behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come.
