Sikandar Alam

Md. Sikandar Alam (Odia: ସିକନ୍ଦର ଆଲାମ; 27 July 1939 – 8 August 2010) was a playback singer in Odisha film industry (known as Ollywood). He is sometimes called the Salabega of modern Odisha.

In an interview with Monalisa Jena, he said, "I can't appreciate the changing trends where music has become an instrument of titillation with vulgar lyrics. True music soothes the frayed nerves and makes one forget one's mundane life".

Childhood and education Alam was born on 27 July 1939 in Routrapur, Baialishi Mouzaa of Cuttack district. The family moved to Cuttack, where he completed his Matriculation at Christ Collegiate School and his Intermediate in Science at Stewart College. Sikandar then attended the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya to study vocal Hindustani classical music. He later studied Odissi music from Pt Balakrushna Dash.

Professional career His first work in the entertainment industry was with All India Radio in 1957. His debut in films was in the movie Laxmi (1964), directed by Balakrushna Dash. He sang in 50 Odia films, including Amada Bata, Adina Megha, Manika Jodi, Mamata, Suryamukhi and Puja, and recorded over 2,000 songs, earning the sobriquet "the Salabega of modern Odisha".

He had performed both in India and internationally. He is credited as the first Odia singer to be heard on BBC London.

Awards and recognition 1969 – Chitrapuri Award 1980 – Soor Sagar Title from Sri Khetra Kala Prakashani, Puri 1981 – Dharitri Samman 1983 – Odisha Society of America 1990 – Odisha State Film Award By Culture Department 1991 – Santok Singh Award 1991 – Cine Critic Award for Best Playback Singer 1995 – Salabega Samman by Salabega Sanskrutika Parishad, Puri 1999 – Chinta-O-Chetana Samman 1999 – Award From Beach Festival, Chandipur 2000 – Chalachitra Sahasrabadi Award 2000 – Sarankul Art College & Music Samman 2000 – Saraswati Samman from Balakrushna Das Foundation 2000 – Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy Award 2001 – Akashavani Abasara Binodana Kendra Award 2001 – Soor Taranga Award 2002 – Nehru Yuba Kendra Award 2003 – Kalakar Boita Bandana Utshav, Angul 2003 – Sangeet Shree Samman from P.R. Deptt., West Bengal 2003 – Rajiv Gandhi Samman Award 2003 – Rourkela Steel Plant Award 2003 – Lion's Club Award 2004 – Bani Chitra Award 2004 – Akashya Mohanty Award 2004 – Utkal Felicitation in Odisha Festival, Kolkata 2005 – Shanti Devi Purskar, Bhadrak