AGARTALA, October 1 (TIWN): A cultural programme was organized by ICA department to celebrate the 108th birth anniversary of Sachin Dev Burman the legendary music maestro and a member of erstwhile Tripura royal family at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan here today.

Speaking in the programme Information and Cultural Affairs Bhanu Lal Saha said that he is very much alive within us in our mind and soul through his music.

Born in Comilla's Chortha village, 85 km south of Dhaka (now in Bangladesh), on Oct 1, 1906, Burman was a noted Bollywood music composer and an all-time great Bengali singer and composer. His son Rahul Dev Burman also made it big in Bollywood as a music director.

Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late twenties, when his work as a singer composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertory of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932.

S.D. Burman was born in the royal family of Tripura and began his training in classical music under his father Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman.

S.D. Burman's mother Nirupama Devi, who was a princess of the Manipuri royal family, also played a key role by giving inspiration, encouragement and assistance to make him famous, the minister stated. Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation Dr. Prafullajit Sinha and other officials of ICA department were present in the programme.