{{short description|Bangladeshi stage magician (born 1950)}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Jewel Aich | native_name = জুয়েল আইচ | image = Jewel Aich in 2025 (cropped).jpg | caption = Aich in 2025 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|4|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Pirojpur, East Bengal, Pakistan | education = BA (honors) | alma_mater = Jagannath University | occupation = Magician and flautist | spouse = Bipasha Aich (née Pasha Khoshnu) | children = 1 | awards = Ekushey Padak }}
'''Jewel Aich''' (born 10 April 1950)<ref name=unicef>{{cite web |title=Biography of Jewel Aich |url=http://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/media_7207.htm |publisher=UNICEF |access-date=2019-01-25 |archive-date=2018-01-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108175612/https://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/media_7207.htm}}</ref> is a Bangladeshi magician and bansuri player. He is a veteran of the Bangladesh Liberation War.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://arts.bdnews24.com/?p=9248 |script-title=bn:জুয়েল আইচ: রাষ্ট্র কি কোন জীব নাকি যে তার ধর্ম থাকবে? |date=2016-12-24 |work=bdnews24.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720150011/https://arts.bdnews24.com/?p=9248 |language=bn |access-date=2019-01-26 |archive-date=20 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.magictimes.com/archives/2003/2003-11_24-30.html |title=Jewel Aich who has long been the leading |website=Magic Times |access-date=2012-12-22 |date=2003-11-24}}</ref>
== Personal life == Aich was born in Shomdekathi, East Bengal (present-day Barisal District, Bangladesh), the fifth of nine children born to Indian businessman Bijoy Kumar (B.K.) Aich and Saraju Aich, a homemaker. He became interested in magic and choreography early in his life. His interest grew after a Romani man performed a magic and dance routine during a visit to Aich's family home.<ref name=unicef/> On 23 July 1985, Aich married Pasha Khoshnu, daughter of Professor Darbesh Ali Khan and a political science teacher at Dhaka University. After their wedding, Pasha Khoshnu became known as Bipasha Aich. The couple have one daughter, Kheya Aich, who has appeared onstage with her mother during Aich's performances.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mw |date=2024-01-24 |title=A Touch of Impossible |url=https://mansworldbangladesh.com/2024/01/24/a-touch-of-impossible/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=MW |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Participation in the Liberation War === In 1971, after finishing his studies, Aich and his family participated in the Bangladesh Liberation War. While in Bahadurpur (Nadiya), West Bengal, India, at a freedom fighters' camp, he taught students in refugee camps. He also performed magic to entertain the children at the camp.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-06-14 |title=Jewel Aich An avid collector |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/jewel-aich-an-avid-collector |access-date=2019-07-08 |work=Daily Star |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Origin of name=== After the Liberation War, Aich began writing regularly for ''Kishore Bangla'', a newspaper for young people. One young fan from Rajshahi would address him as "Jewel Aich" instead of "G.L. Aich." Finding this simpler than his own name, he received permission from his family before changing his name to Jewel Aich.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
==Professional career== {{BLP sources|date=November 2023}} After seeing a Romani man perform magic during a visit to his village, Aich was immediately drawn to it. He later saw a circus performing in a nearby settlement and was impressed by a magician who appeared to cut off his assistant's neck. Inspired by the trick, he designed a special knife, which he later demonstrated to his friends by "cutting off" a friend's leg. Aich learned some tricks from fellow magician Abdur Rashid of the Lion Circus in Pirojpur. By the time he enrolled in college, he was already known in his district as an amateur magician.
===TV appearance=== In 1977, a Bangladeshi TV host, Abdullah Abu Syed, invited Aich to perform magic on his show, which was Aich's first appearance on television. He would subsequently appear in more television shows, such as Ananda Mela and Ityadi. Later, he created his own TV specials at Bangladesh Television (BTV); one of these, 'Anandamela, Magic World of Jewel Aich', was named Program of the Year.
==Music== Aich is also a flautist, having studied with Ustad Abdur Rahman, Profullo Masid, and his son Montu Masid. From 1973, he began playing flute on Dhaka Radio (Bangladesh), Kolkata Radio (India), Radio Beijing (China), Deutsche Welle (Germany), BBC (UK), and VOA (US).
==Awards== * Ekushey Padak (1993)<ref>{{Cite news |title=Jewel Aich: The world in all its magic |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/75989/jewel-aich-the-world-in-all-its-magic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624133156/http://www.newagebd.net/article/75989/jewel-aich-the-world-in-all-its-magic |archive-date=24 June 2019 |access-date=2025-02-03 |work=New Age |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{commons category-inline}}
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Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:People from Nesarabad Upazila Category:Magicians Category:Recipients of the Ekushey Padak Category:Bangladeshi flautists Category:Bangladeshi Hindus Category:People of the Bangladesh Liberation War Category:Military personnel from Pirojpur District Category:Musicians from Barisal Division Category:Pirojpur Government High School alumni Category:Government Suhrawardi College alumni