Isaac Mahaboob

Isaac Mahaboob is known as one of the best imitators of the Legendary Manna Dey in Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies. Isaac Mahaboob was born at Garth Road, Princess Town on May 17, 1941 to Baboonie Panchoo and Mahaboob Kanhai. His mother bought many HMV records to play on the family gramophone which they listened to everyday. The young Isaac grew up listening to singers like KC Dey, Ashook Kumar, Pankaj Mullick, Mukesh, Mohd. Rafi and Manna Dey. He developed a special love for songs by Mukesh and he started singing songs by Mukesh. At the age of 16 Isaac and some of his fellow villagers formed a band called Naya Tansen Orchestra. Yusuff Khan and Paras Motiram were also members of this band. He was a member of this band for approx. 5 years. In 1960 he moved to Bamboo Settlement in North Trinidad where he became a freelance singer, performing regularly with many of the leading bands. In 1968 Sagar Sookraj introduced Isaac to Narsaloo Ramaya and Hamid Ali at a Naya Zamana band rehearsal where he was asked to sing a few songs. They were very impressed with his renditions and he was asked to immediately join the band. He sang Mukesh songs for one year with this band, and upon reflection one day realised that no one was singing Manna Dey songs in Trinidad and Tobago and he switched to singing Manna Dey songs. Whilst he was a member of Naya Zamana Orchestra he appeared on many Radio programmes on numerous occasions. In 1972 he was awarded Best Playback Singer for the Shakuntala play (produced and directed by Prof. B. Bhattacharya). He entered Mastana Bahar for 3 years in a row, but he reached the Grand Finals in 1976 where he sang the popular Manna Dey number "Laga Chunri Mein Daag" placing 5th. He remained a member of the Naya Zamana until 1984, after which he became a freelance singer with many bands and Hindu Organisations. He has performed in Guyana, USA and India. In 1985 he formed a family bhajan group named Meera Sankirtan Sangeet which is still an active group singing in many Satsangs and Ramayan Yagnas. (Copyright Nisha Sharma 2023).