Anindita Kazi: A woman of substance

Many mornings blossom with the cherished face of Anindita Kazi hosting musical sessions in Tara Muzik, India. For me, I am reminded of her father, the illustrious son of Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, guitarist Kazi Aniruddha, who really loved her dearly. He had named her Anindita, wanting her to stand out amongst all.

Truly enough, through her lone struggle, Anindita Kazi stands tall as she receives a recognition from Dhaka University, June 2015. She received an acknowledgement in promoting the songs of her grandfather, the national poet of Bangladesh, Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Anindita has been recognized extensively in Kolkata too. The reason there is different from that in Bangladesh, Anindita exemplifies a woman of substance, a life, so far, riddled with struggle, be it social, familial or in the professional world.

'Ekannoborty' (an organization in Kolkata) asked her to narrate her life's struggle as she receives the prize, "It is too short a time" says she, "Nashid apa, how can I narrate my story in an hour?" She lost her father at the age of five and stayed with her maternal grandmother learning recitation, music and attending school. Youngest of two brothers, they went off to boarding school, while she spent her pursuits alone. Her mother was more focused on the brothers and married her off at fifteen. Through a turbulent marriage and birth of a daughter, Anindita stood first class first in music from Allahabad University. She kept her head high, no matter what internal struggles, she was determined to be her own person, and one day her family would be known by her name.

She completed her BEd, amidst this herculean task of being single, raising a daughter alone, earning, developing her own self in a mercenary metropolis like Kolkata. She started teaching in Nava Nalanda primary school and students who attended that school reflect back on those lovely times with strict, disciplined and beautiful Anindita Kazi. In 2001, she found an opportunity to join the Tara channel as a newscaster. However, over the years, her own hard work, intelligence, tenacity, will to improve, contribute and outshine has propelled her from just being a newscaster to the President of Tara Muzik. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is very dedicated to Nazrul Islam; she tells Anindita that a lot of her rebellious spirits and Marxist ideas have risen from the poems of Kazi Nazrul islam. She requests Anindita to pursue the cases that Tara channel is facing. From being a school teacher, newscaster, anchor, singer, working on Nazrul projects, taking the mission of Nazrul far and yonder, now Anindita has the added role of fighting the case, going to court regularly as and when the dates are fixed.

At Tara muzik, they call her 'Anniedi' and I am reminded of Annie Diamond on BBC, she sacrificed her personal life, waking up at 2 am and rushing to BBC to host the morning show, no late nights, no parties, no dancing, dating. A similar life style is followed by Anindita Kazi, she wakes up at 4 am every day, she has to host the show and finish her administrative work, rush to her school and come back to Tara. No wonder, she was given the award as 'Face of Tara' as well as awards from the Delhi Chief Justice for being an anchor and administrative at Tara. Her role during the crisis days has been lauded. Swagatalokhi Dasgupta recently recognized her as the best singer, an organization named 'Agun pakhi' named her the 'Woman of the year'. When she returns home from her busy day, she misses the comforting hugs of a partner.  My comment, 'Nazrul fought his lone battle , he even defied Tagore's request to give up hunger strike, Anindita Kazi …same blood'.

The writer is an academic, Nazrul exponent and writer