True music lovers have always valued and cherished the songs of Suman Kalyanpur. Suman hs sung an infinite variety of songs, be it the playful song of the carefree youth ('Aha Aha Aa Ye Suhana Safar..') or a song instigating the immovable depths of love ('Chale Ja Chale Ja Jahan Pyar Mile..') or a mischievous song based on a western tune ('Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche..') or a classical number ('Aajhu Na Aaye Baalam Sawan Beeta Jaye..').
Suman was born Suman Hemmady on 28 January 1937 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Suman Kalyanpur's father Shankar Rao Hemadi hailed from an elite Saraswat Brahmin family belonging to Mangalore, Karnataka. Hemmady is a village in Kundapur Taluk of Udupi District, Karnataka. He served on a top post in the Central Bank of India and was posted to Dhaka (now Bangladesh) for a very long period. Apart from father and mother Seeta Hemmady, there were 5 daughters and one son in the family with Suman being the eldest among her siblings. In 1943, her family moved to Mumbai, where she received her musical training.
She married a Mumbai-based businessman Ramanand Kalyanpur in the 1958 and thus, became Suman Kalyanpur from Suman Hemadi. He accompanied her for every recording session after her marriage.
Once Talat Mahmood heard her voice in a musical concert. Getting highly impressed by her voice, he recommended her to his music recording company HMV. Suman got her first chance of giving playback in the film called 'Mangu', in 1954. She sang 'Koi Pukaare Dheere Se Tujhe.' under the baton of music director Mohd. Shafi. 'Mangu' had four other songs which were composed by O. P. Nayyar. She gained recognition in the film world. But she was unfortunate that people found her voice very close to Lata Mangeshkar and it was said that she copies Lata. Dur to this disappointing fact, the senior film makers slunk away from her. But inspite of all this, the producers of anti Lata camp made her sing in their movies. Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Shagun (1964), Dil Hi To Hai (1963), Jahaan Ara (1964), Sanjh Aur Savera (1964), Paakeejah (1971), Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962), Noor Jahan (1967) and Miyan Biwi Razi (1960) are some of the movies for which she gave her outstanding performance. Till the last decade Suman Kalyanpur thrilled her audiences with her stage performances and concerts. She also made many successful foreign tours and concerts.
Suman never got the attention she deserved from the film-makers as well us from the film-goers. She sang around 800 songs (approximately) and few non-film songs as well. Inspite of being neglected by many film-makers it was her talent that she sung with almost every noted music directors and co-singers. Some of her most popopular songs are: 'Na Tum Hamen Jano..' (Baat Ek Raat Ki), 'Chhodo Chhodo Mori Baiyan..' (Miya Biwi Raazi), 'Dil Gham Se Jal Raha..' (Shama), 'Yun Hi Dil Ne Chaha Tha..' (Dil Hi To Hai), 'Bujha Diye Hain..' (Shagun), 'Mere Sang Gaa..' (Janwar), 'Mere Mehboob Na Ja..' (Noor Mahal), ' Tum Agar Aa Sako To..' (Ek Saal Pehle), 'Jo Hum Pe Gujarti Hai' (Mohabbat Isko Kehten Hain) etc.
