Rupam Islam

Biography

Rupam Islam (Bengali: [ˈrupom ˈislam] ; born 25 January 1974) is an Indian singer-songwriter, music composer and writer. He is the lead vocalist of the Bengali rock band Fossils. Outside of his rock music work, Islam also contributes to several Bengali film productions as a playback singer.
In 2010, he won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for his performance in the Bengali film, Mahanagar@Kolkata. He is also a member of the Bangla Sangeet Akademi, an institution under the Government of West Bengal.

Early life

Rupam Islam was born into a musical family in Kolkata. His parents, Nurul and Chandita, were both musicians. He began performing music in his youth, appearing on All India Radio and Doordarshan programs by age nine.
He completed a bachelor's degree in education and taught English at Taki House in Rajabazar, Kolkata, for several years before focusing on music.

Musical career

Rupam Islam started his professional career in the late 1990s with the Bengali rock band Fossils. Islam has released several albums and worked as a playback singer and solo artist, receiving awards for his work in Bengali films.
In 2010, Islam won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for his performance in Mahanagar@Kolkata. He has also composed jingles for commercials and Television shows.

Activism

Rupam Islam publicly expressed concern over women's safety in India, particularly following the 2024 R.G. Kar Medical College rape and murder case. He joined other musicians in West Bengal to participate in protests addressing issues faced by women in the region.
He later released the song "Khoto" (transl. 'Wound'), which reflects on societal issues related to the incident. The song has been described as a response to the crime and the perceived governmental inaction.

Personal life

Rupam Islam married Rupsha Dasgupta in 2007, and they have a son named Rup Aarohan Prometheus, who was born in 2010.