(From left) Haimanti Shukla, Swagatalaxmi Dasgupta, Sriradha Bandyopadhyay and Nirmala Misra launch Manna Dey’s album at The Oberoi Grand. Picture by Aranya Sen

Is it a record for a singer to cut a solo album at the age of 90? It might well be, and Manna Dey has indeed scaled another height, weeks after being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke.

Aapki Khidmat Mein, a collection of geet and ghazal by the legendary singer, was launched on Monday and to salute the feat, members from Bengal’s musical fraternity attended the occasion.

“Mannada has conquered age with the way he has kept himself fit,” smiled Haimanti Shukla. “I had learnt so much from him during rehearsals before recording a song set to tune by him in the late-80s,” recalled Sriradha Bandyopadhyay. Also present were Swagatalaxmi Dasgupta and Nirmala Mishra.

The songs chosen for the new album are out-of-circulation Manna favourites. “Such ghazal albums do not come out of Bengal. I know there are lapses in the singing. I wish I were 10 years younger, but the words and the tunes will move you,” said Dey.

The icon launched into a long trip down memory lane. “We had such lively gatherings in those days. Anil Biswas, flautist Pannalal Ghosh... even Sachin karta (Dev Burman) used to drop by.”

The audience even got an insight into his other musical preferences. “I sing English songs very well. Not the sort coming out now that make one feel gaaye keu chharpoka chhere diyechhey. We used to keep the beat on the table and sing hits of Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra...”

Nostalgia also meant the unique style of Mohd Rafi and the melodious voice of Hemanta Mukherjee. “I would wait for him (Rafi) to leave a song or two for me.” Listening to Hemanta he would think, “aami toh eto sundar gola paini”. So, he developed a different style. “I cherished his friendship. It hurts me that they have all left me behind.”