Subhajit Chakraborty is a singer from a folk-music family in a village near Kharagpur, in West Bengal’s West Midnapore (Paschim Medinipur) district, who finished as first runner-up of Indian Idol 15 in April 2025. Viewers called him “Idol ka Paanwala”, a nod to the paan shop his family runs back home and the paan he handed the judges on stage. His trademark on the show was stitching a Bengali folk tune into a Hindi film song, often with a khamak in his hand. In October 2026 he came back for the reunion season Indian Idol Legends Return, singing in a duo with Bidipta Chakraborty of season 13.
| Subhajit Chakraborty — Quick Biography & Personal Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Subhajit Chakraborty (also spelt Subhajit Chakrabarty) |
| Nickname on Indian Idol | Idol ka Paanwala |
| Profession | Singer (Bengali folk and Hindi film songs) |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly known |
| Age | Not publicly known |
| Hometown | Changual village, near Kharagpur, Paschim Medinipur (West Midnapore), West Bengal |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Family | Father (folk singer), mother (former jatra artiste), elder brother |
| Super Singer (Star Jalsha, 2021–22) | Reached the Top 6 |
| Indian Idol 15 | First runner-up, 6 April 2025 |
| Now Competing In | Indian Idol 17 – Legends Return (2026), paired with Bidipta Chakraborty |
| Net Worth | No reliably verified figure has been published |
Photo: Sudeshna Banerjee / The Telegraph’s t2
Family and Early Life
Subhajit grew up in Changual, a village a short drive from Kharagpur, in a home where music paid the bills only just. Speaking to The Telegraph’s t2 in April 2025, he described his family as lower middle class and said his father rides a bicycle to music classes with his harmonium. The family of five lives in a single room. His mother had performed in jatra, Bengal’s travelling folk theatre, and Subhajit sang alongside his father in a folk group.
When the group’s earnings were no longer enough, the family opened a paan shop in 2017 that also sells groceries. That shop is where he learnt the craft that later became his on-screen nickname. The t2 profile put him in his early twenties at the time, but no reliable outlet has published his full date of birth, so his exact age is not publicly known.
Before Indian Idol: Super Singer
His first big television outing was Super Singer on Star Jalsha in 2021–22. He made it to the Top 6 there before bowing out. The show mattered for two friendships: he met Manasi Ghosh, who would later win Indian Idol 15, and background singer Sookanya Senha. He credits Sookanya with helping him decide which Hindi and Bengali songs fit together in rhythm and in mood, the idea at the heart of his later Idol performances.
Indian Idol itself did not come easily. He got through on his third attempt.
Indian Idol 15 Journey (2024–2025)
Season 15 ran on Sony Entertainment Television from 26 October 2024 to 6 April 2025, with Shreya Ghoshal, Vishal Dadlani and Badshah judging and Aditya Narayan hosting. According to the season’s Wikipedia record, Subhajit cleared the theatre round with “Surili Akhiyon Wale” and “Majhi Re”, and opened the gala rounds with a mash-up of “Maya Lagaise” and “Jag Ghoomeya”.
That pairing set the pattern. With a khamak, a small plucked folk drum, in hand he would slide from “Surili Ankhiyon Wale” into “Amay Dubaili Re”, or from “Gori Tera Gaon” into “Golemale Golemale”. Subhajit has said Shreya’s presence helped, because she would explain the Bengali lines to Vishal, Badshah and viewers who did not speak the language. After one performance she told him he was among the finest voices the show had seen in all its seasons, and he dropped to his knees on stage.
A tribute evening to the composer duo Shankar–Jaikishan brought another peak. As Filmibeat reported, he sang “Ehsan Tera Hoga Mujh Par” and “Aa Ab Laut Chalen”, and guest Nitin Mukesh, whose father Mukesh made the second song famous, was moved enough to join in. Shreya said she was still crying and called him “one of the most shining stars”, while Badshah said, “I think you are one of the best singers in this country right now, not even just in the competition.”
The run was not all smooth. He landed in the bottom three after singing “Khaike Paan Banaras Wala” and survived. Later weeks brought “Rang Barse Bhige Chunar Wali” in the Top 10 and “Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin” in the Top 8. One of his warmest moments came when his parents walked onto the stage during an episode. He said that even a trip to Kolkata was rare for them, and he was amazed that they had made the long train journey to Mumbai on their own.
Off camera, he kept the paan theme going. He served different kinds of paan to the judges, and once fooled Manasi, whom he calls his elder sister, with a paan-shaped water squirter. He did miss one part of the season: the Yas Island episode, because he had no passport yet.
Finale result
In the pre-finale he sang “Chand Sifarish” and “Mere Sai”, and on the first finale night “Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar”. His last song of the season was “Chaand Taare”. When the result was announced on 6 April 2025, Manasi Ghosh took the trophy, Subhajit came second and Sneha Shankar third, as Filmibeat also reported. The runner-up prize was a cheque for Rs 5 lakh.
Selected Indian Idol 15 performances
| Round | Song(s) |
|---|---|
| Theatre round | Surili Akhiyon Wale, Majhi Re |
| Gala 1 | Maya Lagaise, Jag Ghoomeya |
| Shankar–Jaikishan tribute | Ehsan Tera Hoga Mujh Par, Aa Ab Laut Chalen (with Nitin Mukesh) |
| Top 10 | Rang Barse Bhige Chunar Wali |
| Top 8 | Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin |
| Pre-finale | Chand Sifarish, Mere Sai |
| Finale | Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar; Chaand Taare |
After Indian Idol 15
A few weeks after the finale, Subhajit told t2 he was sorting out a passport so he could travel for a Rotterdam show planned for June with Manasi and Sneha Shankar. He also promised to keep his Bengal flavour in live concerts: “I have tried to add a touch of Bengal to almost every song I sang on Indian Idol. I will continue to do that in live shows.”
Back on Sony: Indian Idol Legends Return (2026)
The franchise’s seventeenth season, titled Legends Return, began on 17 October 2026 and runs on weekends, Saturday and Sunday from 8 PM, on Sony Entertainment Television with streaming on Sony LIV, according to Adgully. Himesh Reshammiya is the judge and Aditya Narayan hosts. Twenty-four singers from earlier seasons compete as 12 duos, and they are marked by their fellow contestants as well as by Himesh.
Sony’s line-up, carried by Indian Broadcasting World, pairs Subhajit with Bidipta Chakraborty, whom IANS lists as a season 13 finalist. The franchise’s Wikipedia page records her as that season’s third runner-up. Despite the shared surname, no report describes the two as related. Our Indian Idol 17 contestants list sets out every duo and what each singer achieved the first time round.
Lesser-Known Facts
- His family’s paan-and-grocery shop opened in 2017, after folk singing alone stopped covering the household’s costs.
- His mother once performed in jatra, and his father still cycles to music classes with his harmonium.
- He reached Indian Idol on his third try, after a Top 6 finish on Star Jalsha’s Super Singer.
- Nitin Mukesh joined him on stage to sing “Aa Ab Laut Chalen”, a classic made famous by Nitin’s father, Mukesh.
FAQ About Subhajit Chakraborty
Who is Subhajit Chakraborty?
He is a singer from a village near Kharagpur in West Bengal who was first runner-up of Indian Idol 15 and is now competing in Indian Idol Legends Return.
What was Subhajit Chakraborty’s position in Indian Idol 15?
He finished second. Manasi Ghosh won the season on 6 April 2025, and Sneha Shankar came third.
How old is Subhajit Chakraborty?
No trustworthy outlet has printed his birth date, so we cannot give his age.
Where is Subhajit Chakraborty from?
He is from Changual village near Kharagpur, in Paschim Medinipur (West Midnapore) district, West Bengal.
Why is Subhajit Chakraborty called “Idol ka Paanwala”?
His family runs a paan shop in his village, and he regularly made paan for the judges during Indian Idol 15.
Who is Subhajit Chakraborty’s partner in Indian Idol Legends Return?
Bidipta Chakraborty, a finalist of Indian Idol 13.
What are Subhajit Chakraborty’s best-known songs on Indian Idol?
His Bengali-Hindi blends such as “Maya Lagaise” with “Jag Ghoomeya”, plus “Ehsan Tera Hoga Mujh Par”, “Aa Ab Laut Chalen” and his finale song “Chaand Taare”.
What is Subhajit Chakraborty’s net worth?
No reliably verified figure has been published.
Related Biographies
- Mayuri Saha Biography: a fellow Bengal singer from Indian Idol 15, also back for Legends Return
- Indian Idol 17 Contestants List: every Legends Return duo and their past results
