Odia lyricist Nizam

Noted Odia lyricist Nizam has passed away at a private hospital here after a prolonged illness at the age of 62. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Nizam’s body was taken to his residence at Sutahata in Cuttack where eminent cine artists, musicians, singers and relatives paid their last respects to him. Nizam’s demise has shocked the Odia film industry.

He started his career in 1977 with Anutap and from then there was no looking back. His popular works include ‘Mu je eka pagala’ and ‘Hrudaya ra aei sunyata.’ Besides, he has written many melodious album songs. He has contributed thousands of songs to the film industry.

Leftist Leader Sadhan Gupta

Sadhan Gupta, the independent India’s first visually-challenged has died following age-related illness. The veteran Communist and eminent lawyer was 98 and is survived by four daughters and a son.

Born in Dhaka, Mr. Gupta was educated at the Calcutta Blind School and went on to study Economics from the Presidency College and law from the University of Calcutta.

In 1953, the CPI(M) leader became India’s first visually-challenged Parliamentarian when he won from the Kolkata south-east constituency. Later on in 1986, he became the first visually-challenged Advocate General of West Bengal. Mr. Gupta was also the founder-president of the National Federation of the Blind and the first president of the Indian chapter of Disabled Peoples’ International.

Malayalam playback singer Radhika Thilak died

Renowned Malayalam playback singer Radhika Thilak passed away in Kochi on 20 September 2015 due to cancer. She was 45 years old. She sung around 70 songs for Malayalam movies including Guru, Ottayal Pattalam and Deepasthambham Mahashcharyam.

She was one of the top-rated singers on All India Radio and was also one of the most popular stage singers of the time. Apart from movie songs, Thilak also gave her voice to many devotional songs.