Rupam Islam

Rupam Islam (born 25 January 1974) is Kolkata-based Indian playback singer, songwriter, composer and the lead singer of the band Fossils. He is a recipient of National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer. He won the award in 2010, for his work in the film Mahanagar @ Kolkata. Rupam has been selected to be a member of the Government of West Bengal's cultural committee for music (Bangla Sangeet Academy). He belongs to a Bengali family.

Early life

Born on 25 January 1974 in a family of musicians, Rupam's musical journey started fairly early under the tutelage of his parents, renowned musicians of their time: late Nurul Islam and late Chhandiita Islam. By the age of four, he was performing on stage with his parents' choir group Jhankar Shilpi Goshthhi. By age nine, he was an empanelled child artiste of Aakashvani and Doordarshan and had performed at all leading auditoriums of Kolkata.

Education went hand-in-hand with music, and he graduated from Asutosh College, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta with honours in English literature. He completed his Bachelor's in Education (BEd) and joined Taki Boys Multipurpose School where he taught English to primary school students for eleven years before voluntarily retiring in 2006 to concentrate on his career in music.