Nirmala Mishra

She was born in Majilpur, as the daughter of Pandit Mohinimohana Mishra and Bhabani Devi on the eve of Durga Saptami. Later for her father's job, her family settled down in Chetla of Kolkata. There was a musical environment in her family. Father Pandit Mohinimohan Mishra and elder brother Murarimohan Mishra, both were famous singers. Her family title was Bandopadhyay (Banarjee). Later her family was awarded with the title of 'Mishra'. Her father was also awarded with the titles of 'Pandit', 'Sangitratna', and 'Sangitnayak' on behalf of 'Kashi Sangit Samaj'.[1]

Music director Balakrushna Das gave her a chance to sing a song in 1960 for the first time in the Odia movie Shri Lokanath.[2] Some of the hit Odia movies in which she has sung are: Stree, Kaa, Malajanha, Abhinetree, Anutap, Kie Kaahaara, Amadaa Baata, and Adina Megha.[3][4]

Her song 'Nida bhara raati madhu jhara janha' from the 1975 Odia movie 'Anutapa' composed by J. Adeni still remains one of the most admired Odia songs of all time. Similarly her other songs such as 'Mo mana beena ra taare..' from the 1964 flick "Manika Jodi' (Music composed by Balakrsuhna Dash), 'Jochhana luchana..' from the 1970 Odia movie 'Adina Megha' (music composed by Balakrushna Dash), Jeebana jamuna re juara uthe re..' from the 1967 movie 'Amada Baata' (music composed by Akshay Mohanty), 'Jaa Jaa re bhasi jaa, mana pabana nauka.." from the 1970 hit 'Chilika Teere' (music by Shantanu Mahapatra), etc. are the timeless stamps of authority in Odia music. She also sang the female version of the iconic 'chhapi chhapi baasanti raati.." composed by the famous music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal in the 1967 movie 'Bhagya', the male version of which has been immortalised by the legendary Odia singer Akshay Mohanty. Nirmala Mishra also sang a number of unforgettable duets with the then leading male singers like Md. Sikandar Alam, Pranab Patnaik, Tansen Singh, etc. Some of the notable duets include: 'mun tumaku bhala paae luchhi luchika' from 'Anupata' with Tansen Singh, 'Aa mayabini mana jochhana' from 'Ghara Bahuda' (1973) and 'Sei nilapari deshe..' from 'Suryamukhi' (1963), 'tike ruhana, rahi jaa na..' from 'Abhinetri' with Md. Sikandar Alam, to name a few.

Her modern songs include Eamun Ekta Jhinuk, Abese mukh rekhe piyal dale, Bolo to arshi, Kagojer phul bole, Mone Koro mone mone, Eai banglar mati tea, Ami to tomar, Ogo tomar akash duti choke, O tota Pakhi rea, Unmona mon swapne, Chotto Sea kotha Bhalobasa and the list always continue. She has also sung Film songs like Tumi Akash eakhun jodi,Ami hariye felechi ganer sathire, rimijhimi rimijhimi, Abire ranglo kea Amay, Choker moni hariye khuji,Oi akasher Chand etc a very long list. She also participated in the geetinattyas and in Mahalaya by Uttum Kumar, Shymol Gupto, Hemanta Mukhophadhay in the year 1976.The great melodious geetinattyas include Sreeradhar Manbhanjan, Rami Chandidas etc. She has also sung Nazrul Geeti, Rabindra Sangeet, Shyama Sangeet, Patriotic songs, Folk Songs and many others. Nirmala Mishra has sung with many other artists like Manna dey, Pratima Bandhophadhay, Manabendra Mukhophadhay, Sandhya Mukhophadhay, Shipra Basu and with many other singers.

• Balakrushna Das Award[5]

http://www.odiamusic.com/Category/CategoryResult.php?first=0&second=Nirmala%20Mishra&filtr=&page=2

• Nirmala Mishra at IMDb