Maitrayee Patar

Biography

Maitrayee Patar (born 7 April 1990) is an Indian writer, poet, and musical artist from Assam. She is known for her contributions to contemporary Assamese literature and for blending Assamese folk traditions with modern and new-age music. A classically trained vocalist, she began her musical career through the independent collective Project Baartalaap, co-founded with musician Shankuraj Konwar.

Early life and education

Patar was born on 7 April 1990 in Guwahati, Assam, India. She belongs to the Tiwa community. At the age of 5, she started formally training for music under her Guru Ranu Baishya. She did her post-graduation in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics. She also pursued Master of Philosophy in Women's studies from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Literature

Patar is the author of poetry book Mor Kolmou Dinor Xonali Baat (2015).
She had been
selected for Poets Translating Poets 2019 (January) edition, the prestigious cultural exchange
workshop of literature of German and Indian languages, hosted by Goethe Institut.
Patar's poetry engages with, describes, or considers the natural world as well as the life of the women. Most of her poems have been translated into other Indian and foreign languages such as Italian, Tiwa, Nepali, Hindi, and Malayalam. She is a regular writer of leading literary magazines Krittibas, Satsori, Prakash, Nebedan and Jatra.

Music

In 2017, she co-created her debut music album, Project Baartalaap, with Shankuraj Konwar while studying at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. The album included the song "Duur Ximonat", which was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine in 2019. Other songs from the album include Baartalaap, Alakananda, Moupiya, Unnaxi, and Awjana.
Patar has performed at several live events and festivals, including the Falcon Festival in Dima Hasao. She has also performed in New Delhi, where her music, sung in Axomiya, was appreciated by audiences regardless of language.
She has collaborated with filmmakers Judhajit Bagchi and Ranadeep Bhattacharya on the song "Nilanjana", featuring Brazilian and Spanish artists Aagatha Figueroa and Julio Padial. She has also worked on musical tributes, including one for poet Nilamani Phukan on his 90th birthday.

Personal life

She married IIT-B alumnus Arindam Baruah in 2020.

Activism

Patar along with the writers’ community of Assam demanded the release of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti founder Akhil Gogoi, who as of 6 October 2020 lodged in jail for his position within the anti-CAA protest.