“This is why universities, and civil society more generally, are so important for a democracy like ours, founded on a genuine idealism that we have a hard time holding on to. They provide a space to question whatever we are doing in the name of things we say we believe in or might believe in.”

Indian composer and lyricist

Abhijit Banerjee was an Indian composer and lyricist, known for his work in Bengali non-film songs. He wrote and composed in the Bengali music world, and his name is closely linked with the era of popular recorded songs in Bengal. He worked with singers and writers including Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, Pratima Bandyopadhyay, and Pulak Bandyopadhyay. He was also a close associate and assistant of Salil Chowdhury, and taught music at Bani Chakra school.