Suvra Mukherjee
{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Suvra Mukherjee
| nickname =
| image = Suvra Mukherjee.jpg
| caption = Mukherjee during the "At home" ceremony, 2012
| order1 = First Lady of India
| term_label1 = In role
| term_start1 = 25 July 2012
| term_end1 = 18 August 2015
| president1 = Pranab Mukherjee
| predecessor1 = Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat (as first gentleman)
| successor1 = Savita Kovind (2017)
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1940|9|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Narail, Bengal, British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|8|18|1940|9|17|df=yes}}
| death_place = New Delhi, Delhi, India
| nationality = Indian
| spouse = {{marriage|Pranab Mukherjee|1957|2015}}
| children = 3, including Sharmistha Mukherjee and Abhijit Mukherjee
| signature =
| party =
| alma_mater =
}}
Suvra Mukherjee (17 September 1940 – 18 August 2015) was the First Lady of India serving from the year 2012 until her death in 2015.
Early and personal life
Mukherjee was born on 17 September 1940 to a Bengali Brahmin family in Jessore District of Bengal Presidency (now in Bangladesh ),{{Cite web|title = President Pranab Mukherjee's wife Suvra passes away|url = https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150818/nation-current-affairs/article/president-pranab-mukherjees-wife-suvra-mukherjee-passes-away|website = Deccan Chronicle|date = 18 August 2015|access-date = 19 October 2015}} and moved to Calcutta when she was 10 years old.{{Cite news|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/suvra-mukherjee-what-you-didnt-know-about-her_1648848.html|title=Suvra Mukherjee: What you didn't know about President Pranab Mukherjee's wife|date=19 August 2015|accessdate=20 October 2015|publisher=Zee News}} She married Pranab Mukherjee on 13 July 1957 and the couple had two sons and a daughter. She held two master's degrees, in history and in political science{{Sfn|Sabha|2000|p=379}}{{Cite news|url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120725/jsp/bengal/story_15768118.jsp|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205621/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120725/jsp/bengal/story_15768118.jsp|url-status = dead|archive-date = 4 March 2016|title = Wife's Days As Teacher|last = Jana|first = Naresh|date = 24 July 2012|work = The Telegraph|access-date=19 October 2015}} and also taught history and English grammar during the early 1970s in West Midnapore.
Mukherjee, was an accomplished singer and a vocalist of songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore, which are known as Rabindra Sangeet. She performed in his dance-dramas for many years in India, Europe, Asia and Africa,{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/president-pranab-mukherjees-wife-suvra-mukherjee-dies-at-74/articleshow/48524439.cms|title=President Pranab Mukherjee's wife Suvra Mukherjee dies at 74 |accessdate=20 August 2015|date=18 August 2015|work=The Economic Times}} as well as being the founder of the Geetanjali Troupe, whose mission is to disseminate Tagore's philosophy through song and dance.{{Cite web|url = http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-20/news/65667338_1_rabindranath-tagore-suvra-mukherjee-first-lady|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151003160113/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-20/news/65667338_1_rabindranath-tagore-suvra-mukherjee-first-lady|url-status = dead|archive-date = 3 October 2015|title = With Suvra Mukherjee's Demise, Gitanjali Troup Will Not Be the Same Again|date = 20 August 2015|accessdate=19 October 2015|website = Economic Times|last = Das|first = Madhuparna}} The group often rehearsed in her home on Talkatora Road.{{Cite news|url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110228/jsp/business/story_13646403.jsp|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110304223912/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110228/jsp/business/story_13646403.jsp|url-status = dead|archive-date = 4 March 2011|title = Mrs FM's aam-aadmi Tune|last = Chowdhury|first = Jayanta Roy|date = 28 February 2011|work = The Telegraph|access-date=19 October 2015}} She passed on her love of classical dance to her daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee,{{Cite news|url = http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/everyone-in-mumbai-delhi-seems-to-want-a-free-ticket/article5106133.ece|title = Everyone in Mumbai, Delhi Seems to Want a Free Ticket|last = Ramachandran|first = Smriti Kak|date = 8 September 2013|work = The Hindu|access-date=19 October 2015}} with whom she also occasionally performed.{{Cite news|url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110112/jsp/calcutta/story_13426607.jsp|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120619080635/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110112/jsp/calcutta/story_13426607.jsp|url-status = dead|archive-date = 19 June 2012|title = Dancer Who Happens to Be 'His' Daughter|last = Das|first = Mohua|date = 12 January 2011|work = The Telegraph|access-date=19 October 2015}} She was also a painter who participated in both group and solo exhibitions.{{Cite web|url = http://presidentofindia.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/PressRelease/1706/1_PROFILE_OF_FIRST_LADY_MRS_SUVRA_MUKHERJEE.pdf|title = Profile of First Lady Mrs Suvra Mukherjee|accessdate=19 October 2015|website = President of India}}
Mukherjee authored two books: Chokher Aloey is a personal account of her close interaction with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and Chena Achenai Chin is a travelogue recounting her visit to China. She also supported singer Kumar Sanu and released many of his musical albums related Rabindra Sangeet and religious music.
Death
File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi paying homage at the mortal remains of Smt. Suvra Mukherjee, First Lady, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 18, 2015 (2).jpg Narendra Modi paying homage to the remains of First Lady Suvra Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan]]
Mukherjee died in a hospital in New Delhi, India, aged 74. She had respiratory problems and was treated as a heart patient.{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Suvra-Mukherjee-President-Pranab-Mukherjees-wife-passes-away/articleshow/48524004.cms|title= Suvra Mukherjee, President Pranab Mukherjee's wife, passes away|accessdate=20 August 2015|date=18 August 2015|work=The Times of India|first=Durgesh Nandan |last=Jha}}
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India said: "... (she) will be remembered as a lover of art, culture and music. Her warm nature endeared her to everyone she met".{{Cite web|url=http://pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/pm-condoles-the-passing-away-of-first-lady-mrs-suvra-mukherjee/|title=PM condoles the passing away of First Lady Mrs. Suvra Mukherjee|date=18 August 2015|accessdate=20 October 2015|publisher=Office of the Prime Minister of India}} Her friend, Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh who attended the funeral stated: "Bangladesh has lost a great friend and well-wisher with her passing away".{{Cite news|url=http://newagebd.net/149112/hasina-pays-tributes-to-suvra-mukherjee/|title= Hasina pays tributes to Suvra Mukherjee|accessdate=20 October 2015|newspaper=Newage}}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=Sabha|first=India Parliament Rajyya|title=Who's who|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MnKPAAAAMAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Rajya Sabha Secretariat.}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before=Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat|as=First Gentleman of India}}
{{s-ttl|title=First Lady of India|years=2012–2015}}
{{s-vac|next=Savita Kovind}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mukherjee, Suvra}}
Category:First ladies and gentlemen of India
Category:People from Jessore District
Category:Politicians from Khulna Division
Category:Indian women classical singers
Category:Women musicians from West Bengal
Category:20th-century Indian singers
Category:20th-century Indian women singers