Veteran singer Pankaj Udhas passes away in Mumbai

Veteran singer Pankaj Udhas passed away in Mumbai on Monday after a prolonged illness. He was 73. His daughter Nayyab confirmed the sad news on social media.

Famous for his memorable ghazals such as “Chitthi Aayi Hai” from Naam, “Na Kajre Ki Dhar” from Mohra, “Chandi Jaisa Rang”, “Ek Taraf Uska Ghar” and “Ahista”, Pankaj was famous for his velvet voice.

He breathed his last around 11 am at the Breach Candy hospital. His last rites will be held on Tuesday. Pankaj Udhas is survived by his wife Farida Udhas, daughters Nayaab and Reva Udhas, and brothers Nirmal and Manhar Udhas, who are also singers.

The President, Vice President and Prime Minister have expressed grief over the demise of musical legend and ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas. In a condolence message, the President said that  Pankaj Udhas,



honoured with Padma Shri and other awards, made an important contribution to popularising Sugam Sangeet. President Droupadi Murmu also expressed his condolences to his family members and admirers.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar said that the immense contributions of Pankaj Udhas to the world of music will remain forever resonant. He also expressed his deepest condolences to family members and admirers of Pankaj Udhas.

In his condolence message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the singing of Pankaj Udhas conveyed a range of emotions and his Ghazals spoke directly to the soul. Mr Modi stated that he was a beacon of Indian music, whose melodies transcended generations. The Prime Minister said the singer's departure leaves a void in the music world that can never be filled.