Photo: Dr. Gautam Roy (Secretary) / CC BY-SA 2.5 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Manna Dey, born on May 1, 1919 in Kolkata, India, was a singer, autobiographer and composer. Death is recorded on October 24, 2013, at the age of 94. Manna Dey studied at Scottish Church College. Recorded honors include Padma Bhushan (2005), Padma Shri in arts (1971), Banga Bibhushan (2011) and 5 more.
My Take
Manna Dey strikes me as one of those rare artists whose voice doubled as cultural diplomacy. Rooted in Indian classical training yet at home in mainstream Hindi cinema, he carried serious musicianship into popular film without ever cheapening it. The breadth of his honors, from the Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award to France's Legion of Honour, tells you how far his artistry reached beyond borders. What moves me is that across thousands of playback recordings he never surrendered his dignity or his classical core. Decades on, that warm, textured voice still feels timeless to me, and I count him a true master.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Manna Dey
- Name (Japanese)
- マンナ・デイ
- Reading
- まんな・でい
- Born
- May 1, 1919 – October 24, 2013
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Goat
- Origin
- Kolkata, India
- Occupation
- singer / autobiographer / composer / film actor / musician
2. Background
- University
- Scottish Church College
Awards & achievements
- 2005 Padma Bhushan
- 1971 Padma Shri in arts
- 2011 Banga Bibhushan
- 2007 Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
- 1966 Ramon Magsaysay Award
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- 1985 Commander of the Legion of Honour
3. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.mannadey.in
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manna%20Dey
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q156310
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Manna Dey born?
Born May 1, 1919.
When did Manna Dey die?
Died October 24, 2013, aged 94.
Where was Manna Dey from?
Manna Dey was from Kolkata, India.
What did Manna Dey do?
Manna Dey worked as singer, autobiographer, composer, film actor, musician.
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