Renowned Indian playback singer Pankaj Udhas passes away at 73

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Staff Reporter

2 years ago

After a lengthy illness, renowned ghazal singer and Padmashri recipient Pankaj Udhas passed away at the age of 73.

February 26 saw the confirmation of the famous singer’s passing on Instagram by his daughter Nayaab Udhas. The singer was well-known for his ghazals, such as “Chitti Ayi Hai” and “Chandi Jaisa Rang.”

“We are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on February 26th due to a prolonged illness,” the message stated.

According to reports, the singer passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after becoming ill over the past several days.

Udhas was more than just a singer; through his soul-stirring ghazals, he crafted narratives of love, grief, and desire. As such, his impact goes beyond simple musical borders. His significant contributions to the Indian music scene solidified ghazals’ place as an essential component of the country’s cultural legacy.

For lovers of Ghazals, songs like “Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai Tera” and “Ghunghroo Toot Gaye” are timeless classics that demonstrate Udhas’s unmatched capacity to elicit strong feelings with his silky voice.

On April 17, 1951, Udhas was born in Savarkundla, Gujarat. Manhar Udhas, his older brother, was a well-known playback singer in Hindi. Later, Pankaj moved to Mumbai, where he studied at St. Xavier’s College. His performance in the 1986 film Naam’s song “Chitthi Aayee Hai” established him as a professional vocalist. Since then, he has written music for multiple films, performed as a playback vocalist, recorded a number of CDs, and toured the world as a well-known ghazal singer.

Staff Reporter