FIROZA BEGAM, THE SINGING BIRD Firoza Begum ,the singing bird was born in Gopalganj on July 28, 1930 to the zamindars of Ratail Ghonaparha. Her father was Khan Bahadur Mohammad Ismail, mother Begum Kaokabunnesa. At that time it was almost unthinkable for a Bengali Muslim girl to be allowed to train in music. But even before she was ten, National Poet Nazrul Islam was impressed by her vocal talent. They met when Firoza was auditioning at the HMV, at the encouragement of All India Radio's Sunil Bose. She was the artist with whom Nazrul began his single long play records. Nazrul was then the chief trainer of HMV. Even when she was in class VI, she set her place in the hearts of Bengali audience by singing two Nazrul songs in the All India Radio. Her first record was published in 1942 from HMV when she was 12. In the illustrious career that followed, Firoza sang Rabindra Sangeet, "Adhunik Bangla" songs, Gazhal, Kawali and Bhajan for her audience. She ...