Home
+
“She was the last surviving founding member of Chhayanaut,” her son says
Published : 26 Mar 2025, 02:13 AM
The mortal remains of Sanjida Khatun, a guiding light of Bengali culture, will return to Chhayanaut - the beloved institution she founded in 1961- for one final, solemn tribute on Wednesday.
Her daughter-in-law, Chhayanaut General Secretary Laisa Ahmed Lisa, told bdnews24.com the body would remain in cold storage overnight before being moved to the institution at 12:30pm on Wednesday.
At 2:30pm, the coffin will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar, where people will be have the opportunity to pay their last respects until 4pm.
The 91-year old Bengali cultural icon was suffering from old-age complications and had been admitted to the ICU of Square Hospital for the past few days. She died there around 3pm on Tuesday.
News of her passing cast a long shadow over the nation’s cultural soul, as admirers flocked to the hospital for a final glimpse, a last goodbye.
Her son Partha Tanveer Naved said people can pay their last respects at 12:30pm on Wednesday at Chhayanaut.
At 2:30pm, the coffin will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar, where people can pay their respects until 4pm.
Sanjida, 91, was suffering from various complications related to old age. She had been admitted to the ICU of Square Hospital for the past few days. She died there at 3pm on Tuesday.
News of her passing cast a long shadow over the nation’s cultural soul, as admirers flocked to the hospital for a final glimpse, a last goodbye.
Her son Partha Tanveer Naved said people can pay their last respects at 12:30pm on Wednesday at Chhayanaut.
A towering figure in Bangladesh’s cultural sphere and a personality revered by scholars, Sanjida dedicated her life to exploring and shaping the Bengali identity.
Sanjida was educated at Kamrunnesa School, Eden College, Dhaka University, and Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Bengali Language and Literature from Dhaka University and later completed her Master’s and PhD from Rabindra Bharati University in 1978.
After a distinguished academic career, she retired as a professor from Dhaka University’s Department of Bangla.
Much of her writing focused on Rabindranath Tagore, and she played a vital role in bringing his works closer to the general public.
As a student, she was deeply engaged in both classical music and the 1952 Language Movement. Among her fellow activists, she was affectionately known as "Minu Apa".
In the early 1960s, Sanjida Khatun co-founded Chhayanaut, a cultural institution dedicated to nurturing Bengali heritage. Under her leadership, Chhayanaut grew into a world-renowned centre for classical music and dance.
She also co-founded the Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad and served as president of Nalonda, a progressive educational institution for children. Additionally, she was an honorary fellow of the Asiatic Society.
A gifted artist, writer, researcher, musicologist, and teacher, Sanjida received numerous honours throughout her life, including India’s Padma Shri -- the country’s fourth-highest civilian award.
Sanjida, who has been awarded the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Literary Award, and Rabindra Smriti Award (West Bengal, India).
She authored 16 books, many of which explored Tagore’s life and philosophy.
Lisa told journalists at the hospital, “In 2017, on Noboborsho, Sanjida had urged us to expand into villages and wondered why, in the digital era, we were still unable to reach everyone.
“We finally started on Dec 1. She was very happy to know we had created a connection beyond this building, beyond boundaries, reaching people at home and abroad.
“She was satisfied,” Lisa said, her voice choking with emotion.
“There will be no more guardians like her. We must carry forward the spirit she instilled in us.
“If we do, Chhayanaut and this cultural movement will continue to find direction and move forward. From generation to generation, this spirit is passed on, and that is how it lives on.”
Chhayanaut Vice-President and Researcher Mofidul Haque, filmmaker Chayanika Chowdhury, cultural activist Sohrab Hossain, and many others came to bid farewell.
Dancer Sharmila Banerjee expressed her grief, saying: “It’s a huge void. What she was to us, what she taught us—we must now carry that work forward.”
Naved said, “She was the last surviving founding member of Chhayanaut. Tomorrow, we will take her there, where everyone wants to see her, sing her songs, and remember her.”
