P C Sorcar (Senior) was known worldwide as `Jadusamrat` or emperor of magic for his achievements in the art of magic . He was an internationally active magician throughout the 1950s and 1960s, performing his "Indrajal" show before live audiences and on television.
P C Sorcar (Senior) was born on 23rd February 1913 in the small village of Ashekpur in Tangail district presently in Bangladesh. He was attracted to magic at very early age. Ganapati Chakravarti had been the Guru for him. His education began at the local Shibnath High School. While still at school, he started performing in magic shows. However, this did not interfere with his education. In 1929, he passed the Entrance examination in the first division. In 1933 he graduated with honors in Mathematics. After completing his education, he took up magic as a profession. At the age of 58, Sorcar died of a heart attack in Ashaikawa, Hokkaido, Japan,
on January 6, 1971. He went to perform there. P C Sorcar (Senior) has been succeded by three sons animator, director, and laserist Manick Sorcar and magicians P.C. Sorcar, Jr. and P.C. Sorcar, Young.
In 1934 P C Sorcar (Senior) first went abroad. He subsequently toured about 70 countries, including the United States and the USSR. P C Sorcar (Senior) won many prizes for his magic at home and abroad. For best stage magic he twice earned the `Phoenix Award` in the United States. He also won the `German Goldbar` and the `Golden Laurel Garland` awards and the `Dutch Tricks Prize`. In 1964 the Indian government honored him with the "Padmashri". In 1937, P C Sorcar (Senior) donated all the money he had earned in Japan to the cause of the Indian freedom movement.
P C Sorcar (Senior) was a member of the societies of magicians in France, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Japan. He was a member of the International Rotary Club and life member of the Royal Asiatic Society in London. The Calcutta branch of the International Society of Magicians of USA was named after him. A number of well-known writers of Europe have written books on him, the most famous being "Sorcar: Maharaja of Magic".
A Technicolor motion picture has been produced on his magic. The All India Magic Conference published a photographic album on him on his 50th birthday in 1963. A long-playing record on him was released by `His Master`s Voice`. For his achievements in the art of magic he was known worldwide as "Jadusamrat" or emperor of magic.
On this auspicious 98th birth anniversary of P. C. Sorcar (Pratul Chandra Sorcar), the Father of Indian magic, the Department of Posts of India released a commemorative stamp in the honor of the great man who took the magic of India to the rest of the world and captivated audience internationally.
Issued Date: 23.02. 2010
Denomination: 500 paise
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