BIOGRAPHY
Born on August 31 in Namrup, Dibrugarh district, Bornali Kalita hails from a small town in Assam, approximately 540 kms away from Guwahati. Her father, Shri Ananta Kumar Kalita, worked at Hindustan Fertilizer Limited. Raised in a family of engineers, with a sister and brother who were mechanical engineers, Bornali’s early exposure to music began at the age of 2 and a half under the guidance of her first guru, Lt. Ruxho Boruah.
Bornali’s musical journey took a significant turn at the age of 2 and a half when she started learning Hindustani classical music. Alongside her formal education, she also explored various genres such as Srimonto Shankardev’s Borgeet, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geet, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Geet, Jyoti Sangeet, and more. Her dedication and talent were evident as she excelled in numerous cultural shows and social gatherings in Namrup.
Academically, Bornali holds a Master’s in English from Cotton College, Guwahati. She pursued her Bachelor’s in Music from Lucknow and Biswa-Bharti consecutively. Not only has she received numerous awards and accolades, but she is also the first female singer in Assam to be honored with the gold medal for Western Vocal at the Ghy University Youth Festival in 1998.
Her illustrious musical career includes over 10,000 songs in Assamese and 17 songs in a single day. Notable albums like “Moromjaan,” “Junbai,” and “Chalgori” have crossed 7 lakhs and 20 thousand in sales. She ventured into Bollywood with opportunities to sing for Telugu hit films, Leslie Lewis’s folk album, and Sanjay Dutt Productions. Bornali continues to pursue her dreams, recently contributing to the title song for the upcoming film “City of Dreams.”
Bornali is not just a talented singer but also an active member of the blind school of Assam. Her contributions extend beyond music, with notable recognitions from various organizations, including being the Brand Ambassador for Assam Traffic Police. Her philanthropic endeavors have earned her titles like “Sudhakanthi,” “Sur Shilpi,” and “Shilpi Tumi Boranyo.”
She is also an active member of the organization “Priyobondhu”. ( Program for welfare of Women and Children residing on slums )
Beyond Assam, Bornali has been recognized and felicitated in Canada, Dubai, and other international platforms. She has been a cover girl for the renowned monthly magazine “Rahasya.”
National / International Awards & felicitation
- Best Singer Award - All Assam Music Competition (1998)
- Gold Medal - Ghy University Youth Festival (1998)
- Mega Cultural Award - 2009-2010
- NEBCOS Media Award - 2010-2011
- Felicitation - All Assam Writers Association as Sudhakanthi
- Felicitation - All Assam Students Union as Sur Shilpi
- Felicitation - 28th Nabin Nagar Ras Utsav as Sundar Shilpi
- Felicitation - MAA Mahakali Ashram as Shilpi Tumi Boranyo
- Felicitation - J.B Law College as Sangeet Surya
- Felicitation - Assam Olympic Association
- Felicitation - Beltola Mahavidyalay
- Felicitation - Margherita Business Sanstha
- Felicitation - Assam Sahitya Sabha
- Felicitation - All Assam North America as Sangeet Shilpi in Canada
- Felicitation - All Assam United Arab Emirates Society in Dubai
- Felicitation - All Assam Students Union Delhi University
- Felicitation - All Assam Students Union, Naharkatiya
- Felicitation - All Assam Yuva Congress
- Cover Page Feature - Rahasya Monthly Magazine
- Golden Awards 2023 - DA NETWORK
- AAROHAN EXCELLENCY AWARD, 23 - for outstanding Contribution to the Assamese Film and Music Industry