Classical vocalist passes away

She was 82 and is survived by three daughters. Her husband Prasun Bandopadhyay, also a celebrated classical vocalist, predeceased her in 1997.

Initiated into music by her father Shailendra Kumar Chatterjee, Meera took 'talim' briefly from Pandit Chinmoy Lahiri.

At the age of 13, she was selected by All India Radio and had to her credit several discs by the mid 1950s.

Meera, a winner of many awards, started learning under Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in 1950 and he considered her as his daughter, family sources said.

She toured several European countries as a member of a cultural delegation, also including Pandit Ravishankar and Gyan Prakash Ghosh, sent by the Government of India in 1954.

Family sources said that her performances abroad were honoured in India by the President and the Prime Minister through a special ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan as well.

Her body was taken to Rabindra Sadan where West Bengal Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee placed a wreath.