Manto (musician)

Sumitrajit Munshi, popularly known as Manto Munshi or mononymously Manto (Bengali: ম্যান্টো মুন্সী) (23 October, 1943 – 2 March, 2010), was an Indian Bengali musician, who was active during the mid-to-end of the 20th century. He was a multi-instrumentalist maestro who excelled in piano, accordion, mouth organ, violin, harmonium and tabla. His major breakthrough was his violin-cover as a recreated version of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik in collaboration with his father Annada Munshi.

Munshi was born in Paikpara of Kolkata on 23 October in the year 1943. His father was noted commercial artist Annada Munshi and his mother was Jayati Devi who was the first Bengali lady to appear as the model of the Tea Board in India. He was the younger brother of painter Kumkum Munshi and elder brother of Rabindra Sangeet exponent Bubu Eklund. He was trained both the Hindustani classical music and the Western classical music by his father Annada Munshi. The central characteristic of his art was the combination of Hindustani and Western classical music. He regularly experimented in different music genres like Rabindra Sangeet, Folk songs and more interestingly Kirtan.

Munshi started his career as the Band leader in Great Eastern Hotel, Kolkata followed by The Park Hotel, Kolkata as well as Metropole Hotel, Kolkata. Munshi's 1982 Kolkata piano concert in collaboration with his father Annada Munshi playing violin was the most acclaimed concert during his musical journey. His captivating performance grabbed the attention of noted musician, music director and instrumentalist V. Balsara. The violin-cover of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Munshi with his father was highly praised by Pandit Ravi Shankar where he said: "Even without prior training they are playing Mozart! Long live Kolkata."

Munshi passed away at his own residence in Tala Park, Kolkata on 3 March, 2010 at the age of 66.