High praise indeed for the popular playback singer of Hindi and regional films. And praise which Dey treasured more than awards, which he looked upon 'as an inconsequential form of recognition'.

Born Prabodh Chandra Dey, the singer who excelled in wrestling and boxing was known for his jovial personality and was quite a prankster. And apart from Kishore Kumar, he was readily acknowledged by his contemporaries as one of the most sociable musicians.

In this excerpt from his memoir Memories Come Alive: An Autobiography, Dey pays tribute to the musicians who accompanied him on the musical journey of the good old days.

Excerpted from Memories Come Alive: An Autobiography by Manna Dey, translated by Sarbani Putatunda, with kind permission of Penguin Books. Rs 450. Buy the book at the Rediff Bookstore!

Photograph: A scene from Awara

Also Read: Remembering Kishore Kumar

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