Manik Varmaanche Dukkhad Nidhan

[Devendra]

My Favoutites among her many songs were "Kabiraache Vinato shele,
kayslyecha raam bai" ,the ever popular "Amrutahuni god naam tujhe deva",
and "Saavalach rang tujha, gokulichya krushna pari".

May her soul rest in peace.

Source : Indian Express 11 Nov 96.

MUMBAI, November 10: Noted vocalist of Kirana gharana and
recipient of Padmashree Award, Manik Varma died of a heart
attack here on Sunday. She was 70. Varma was also the first
winner of the prestigious Lata Mangeshkar Award in 1992.

She was closely associated with All-India Radio, and started her
career at the age of 12 under the guidance of maesteros Suresh
Bhau Mane, Ustad Elayat Khan and Pandit Purohit.

According to family sources, Verma complained of chest pain and
was taken to KEM hospital, where she breathed her last. She is
survived by four daughters - TV and stage actresses Bharati
Achrekar and Vandana Gupte, singer Rani Shashank and Dr
Aruna.

Verma, formerly Manik Dadarkar, was born in 1926. She learnt
classical music from Sureshbhau Mane, brother of Hirabai
Badodekar of Kirana Gharana, and Jaganathbua Purohit. She also
lent her voice to a number of films including dev Pavla, in which
her song kaushalye cha ram maaza became very famous. The
funeral was attended by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray,
Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, Cultural Affairs
Minister Pramod Navalkar, Education Minister Sudhir Joshi,
veteran Marathi drama director and producer Mohan Wagh and
singer Sudhir Phadke.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi has expressed deep
grief over her demise. In his condolence message, Joshi said that
in
the death of Manik Verma we have lost a versatile Marathi
classical singer. "With the singing of devotional songs she has
left
an indelible mark on the Marathi audience," he said.