Jewel Aich

Jewel Aich
Aich in 2009
Native name	জুয়েল আইচ
Born	1950 (age 66–67) Barisal, East Bengal, Pakistan
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Education	BA (honors)
Alma mater	Jagannath University
Occupation	Magician and bansuri player
Awards	Ekushey Padak

Jewel Aich is a Bangladeshi magician and bansuri player. He is a veteran of the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war that culminated in the birth of his country.^[1] He has been called as Bangladesh's leading magician.^[2]

Early life

Aich was born in Pirojpur, a southern district of Bangladesh. He was the fifth of nine children in his family. He was fascinated by the art of magic from a young age, and his interest continued to grow when a gypsy man performed some magic during a visit to Aich’s family home. Shortly thereafter, he encountered a circus performing in a nearby village, Aich saw a magician perform a trick where it appeared that he had cut the neck of his assistant. He was so impressed by the trick that he designed a special knife which he later demonstrated to his friends by “cutting off” a friend’s leg. Aich was officially hooked on magic, and so began his career as a magician. By the time Aich finished high school and went to college; his name had already spread through his district as a magician. ^[3] During the Bangladesh Liberation War their house got looted they had to flee to Kolkata.

Career

The art of magic attracted him very early in his life. He first saw magic performed by a gypsy man who came to the family house with his company.^[4] Soon afterwards a circus party came to a nearby village. he was invited to America by the Society of American Magicians to perform a show.^[3]

Awards

• Ekushey Padak (1993)

References