Bhubaneswar: Sunanda Patnaik, noted Indian classical singer and daughter of Odia poet Baikunthanath Patnaik, passed away at a private hospital in Kolkata, she was 85.
Popularly known as 'Guruma', Sunanda Patnaik is a singer of Gwalior gharana. She is known for singing at a high pitch and was one of the best contemporary interpreters of Odissi music.
Sunanda Patnaik’s 'Jeevana patra mo bharicha kete mote...', penned by her father Baikunthanath Patnaik is a rendition that still remains unmatched. Besides, she is known for singing Shri Jagannath Stotras in most melodious manner.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the demise of Sunanda Patnaik.
She had received Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1970 and 1971. She was conferred with the Indian Lifetime Achievement award in 2009 and Lifetime Achievement award from The Orissa society of the Americas (OSA) in 2012.
Sunanda was also the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Tagore Akadami Puraskar) for the year 2012.