Sundar Popo facts for kids

Sundar Popo was a famous musician from Trinidad and Tobago. His real name was Sundarlal Popo Bahora. He was born on November 4, 1943, and passed away on May 2, 2000.

Many people call him the "Father of Chutney music". This is because his hit song Nana and Nani in 1969 helped start this new style of music.

Sundar Popo's Early Life

Sundar Popo was born in a place called Monkey Town in Barrackpore. He grew up in a Hindu family with Indian roots. Music was a big part of his home life.

His mother was a singer, and his father played the tassa drum very well. When he was 15, Sundar Popo started singing bhajans (religious songs). He performed at mandirs and weddings in his town.

He also worked as a watchman at a factory. He learned a lot about music from a classical Indian singer named Ustad James Ramsawak.

Sundar Popo's Music Career

In 1969, Sundar Popo met Moean Mohammed, a radio host. Moean heard Sundar's song Nani and Nana. This song was special because it used both local Indian language and English. It talked about the everyday lives of an Indian grandmother (Nani) and grandfather (Nana).

Moean helped Sundar record the song. It became a huge hit and changed Indian music in Trinidad and Tobago. After this success, Sundar Popo focused more on his singing.

He released more than 15 albums. One of his most famous songs was Scorpion Gyul, which was about love, death, and happiness. Other popular songs included Oh My Lover, Caroni Gyal, and Don't Fall in Love.

His music became popular not just in the Caribbean, but also in North America and Europe. He performed with famous Indian stars like Babla and Kanchan, Anup Jalota, and Amitabh Bachchan. He also sang with many other Chutney and Caribbean artists.

Sundar Popo won many awards during his career. Other artists, like Black Stalin and Rikki Jai, have created songs to honor him.

Sundar Popo's Lasting Impact

Statue of Sundar Popo in Debe

Towards the end of his life, Sundar Popo's health started to decline. He had problems with his heart and kidneys due to diabetes. He performed his last concert in April 2000.

He passed away on May 2, 2000, at his home in Monkey Town. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Basdeo Panday, attended his funeral.

Sundar Popo's legacy lives on. His granddaughters, Chandra and Natasha Sundar, are now singers. An auditorium in San Fernando is named after him: the Sundarlal Popo Bahora Auditorium. There's even a play about his life called "Sundar."

His songs continue to be popular. Some of his music has been featured in Bollywood movies, and other famous singers have performed his songs. There are even talks about renaming his home village, Monkey Town, to Sundar Popo Village. A statue of him stands in Debe.

Awards and Achievements

Sundar Popo received many honors for his contributions to music:

• Four-time winner of the Indian Cultural Pageant
• National Award for Excellence
• Top Indian vocalist (1988)
• Sunshine Award for first place in Indian Soca (1993)
• King of Chutney in South Florida, United States (1993)
• The National Hummingbird Medal of Trinidad and Tobago (silver) (1993)
• Caribbean Music Award (1994)
• "Caribbean Bachanal" trophy (1996)

Sundar Popo's Albums

Sundar Popo released many albums throughout his career. Here are some of them:

• Come Dance with the Champ – 1979
• Hot & Spicy (with Anup Jalota) – 1980
• Hot & Sweet – 1981
• The Nana and Nani Man Sings Again – 1982
• Sundar Fever – 1985
• The Latest, The Greatest – 1986
• Sundar Soca – 1986
• Indian Soca – 1987
• Screwdriver – 1988
• Oh My Lover – 1989
• Nana & Nani Don't Cry – 1989
• Sundar Popo's Heartbreak – 1990
• Who We Go Bring Back Again? – 1991
• Is The Spaner She Want – 1992
• Sweet Sweet Guyana (with Anand Yankaran)- 1993
• Children Children Respect Your Mother & Father – 1993
• Dance Party King – 1994
• Classic – 1994
• Cool Yuhself With Cold Water – 1995
• Musical Voyage: East Meets West – 1998
• Unity – 1998
• Friends – 2000