Shri Manna Dey has dominated the Indian film playback music from the 1950s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs during his six decade long career. Shri Manna Dey has won numerous awards and accolades in his singing and music career. Among others, he has won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the Hindi Film “Mere Huzur” and the Bengali film “Nishi Padma”. He has also been honoured with the Padmashree and Padma Bhushan.

Manna Dey started his career in playback singing with the movie Tamanna in 1943. The song was an instant hit. There has been no looking back since. Trained in classical traditions, his mellifluous voice has enthralled millions of households all over the country. His hallmark has been his versatility - he has been as adept in rendering complex classical based numbers, qawallis and ghazals as he has been in rendering buoyant romantic songs, soft pathos laden ones as also light fun laced numbers and Bhajans. Some of his famous songs include “Laga Chuneri mein daag”, “Pyaar hua iqraar hua”, “Ye raat bheegi bheegi”, “Kasme wade pyaar wafa ”, etc. Some of the most well known films for which he has lent his voice are: Awaara, Do Bigha Zamin, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Zanjeer, Padosan and Sholay. Dey (real name Prabodh Chandra Dey) was born to Purna Chandra (father) and Mahamaya Devi (mother) on 1st May 1919.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an annual award given by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969 , the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke , considered the father of Indian cinema. The award for a particular year is given along with the National Film Awards. Shri Manna Dey is the 55th awardee of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award. The Hon'ble President would be conferring the award on 21st October 2009. The Committee consisting of eminent personalities Dr. A.Nageshwara Rao, Yash Chopra, Smt. Vijaya Mulay and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan made the recommendations to the Government.#