Legendary singer S P Balasubrahmanyam passes away after fighting COVID-19

CELEBRATED playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam, who held sway over millions of fans with his golden voice for over five decades, died on Friday at hospital here where he was treated for COVID-19 since last month, the hospital said.

The 74-year old singer, whose condition became extremely critical on Thursday, breathed his last at 1.04 pm, a statement from MGM Healthcare, where he was admitted on August 5 after testing positive for COVID-19, said.

However, the hospital said he had tested negative for COVID-19 on September 4.

A six-time national award winner, Balasubrahmanyam, who had sung over 40,000 songs, was also honoured with Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2011.

He is survived by wife, a son and a daughter.

Announcing the death of SPB, as he was popularly known, his son and filmmaker S P Charan told reporters that his father’s songs would live forever in the hears of his fans.

Charan thanked all those who had prayed for the recovery of his father and the doctors, nurses and the administrative staff of the hospital for their attempts to save him. A statement from MGM Healthcare said: “In a further setback this morning, despite maximal life support measures and the best efforts of the clinical team, his (Balasubrahmanyam’s) condition deteriorated further and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest. “With profound grief, we regret to inform that he passed away at 13.04 hours,” it said.

The hospital extended its condolences to his family, friends and well wishers. The hospital noted that from August 14 the singer was put on life support measures -ventilator and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support- in view of ‘severe COVID-19 pneumonia.’

“He continued to be closely monitored by our multi- disciplinary team in the critical care unit. He tested negative for COVID-19 on September 4,”

it added.

 His melodious voice, music enthralled audience for decades: PM: PAYING rich tributes to legendary singer S P Balasubrahmanyam who died on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was a household name across the country and that his melodious voice and music enthralled audience for decades. In his condolence message, Modi tweeted, “With the unfortunate demise of Shri SP Balasubrahmanyam, our cultural world is a lot poorer. A household name across India, his melodious voice and music enthralled audiences for decades. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

Indian music has lost one of its melodious voices: President Kovind: Indian music has lost one of its melodious voices in the passing of S P Balasubrahmanyam, who was also called ‘Singing Moon’ by his countless fans, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday, condoling death of the celebrated playback singer.

SPB’s regret: I missed watching my kids grow up: “I MISSED watching my children grow up”, celebrated playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam once said as he opened up on regrets in his life.

As he entered the 50th year of his career in 2015, SPB, as he is fondly called, counted Telugu movie ‘Sankarabharanam’ and 1981 hit ‘Ek Duje Ke Liye’ as films that were the turning points of his singing journey.

Balasubrahmanyam, who died on Friday at a Chennai hospital where he was admitted on August 5 after testing positive for COVID-19, had said he regretted not watching his kids grow up due to his busy schedules, but termed his professional journey as “amazing”.

“It is amazing. I don’t know how I lasted so long. I am not a trained singer. At this age, I am getting work and I am able to deliver, Balasubrahmanyam had told PTI in an interview nearly five years ago.

“I missed watching my children grow up. I dedicated (to singing) all my 49 years (in the year 2015). On an average, I am working 11 hours every day. I missed my children growing,” he had said.

His other regrets in life include not learning classical music and not completing his engineering degree. He, however, felt not knowing classical music came as a “blessing in disguise” and said had he learnt it, he would have not sung light music (songs) well.