Ghazal singer PankajUdhas passes away at 72

 

 

 

RENOWNED ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, whose velvet smooth voice gave expression to the many colours of love, longing and heartache in songs such as “Chitthi Ayee Hai” and “Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein”, died here on Monday after prolonged illness. He was 72. Udhas, who also made a mark as a playback singer in many Hindi films, including “Dayavan”, “Naam”, “Saajan” and “Mohra”, died around 11 am at the Breach Candy hospital.“With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padma Shri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to a prolonged illness,” his daughter Nayaab wrote in an Instagram post. “This is not only a personal loss, but the whole nation has lost a prolific singer and a great human being,” Breach Candy Hospital Trust said in a note. The last rites of the singer, who hit his peak in the 1990s, will be held on Tuesday.

 

He is survived by wife Farida and daughters Reva and Nayaab. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the many who mourned the singer’s death. “Pankaj Udhas ji, honoured with Padma Shri and other awards, made an important contribution in popularising music. My condolences to his family and fans,” the President said. According to the Prime Minister, Udhas’ singing conveyed a range of emotions and his ghazals spoke directly to the soul. “He was a beacon of Indian music, whose melodies transcended generations. I recall my various interactions with him over the years. His departure leaves a void in the music world that can never be filled. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti,” Modi said.

 

Udhas, one of those credited for making the genre popular along with Talat Aziz and Jagjit Singh, released his first album “Aahat” in 1980 and went on to release over 50 albums in a four-decade career. This was apart from the songs, evoking gentle romance, he crooned as a playback singer. He is perhaps most famous for“Naa Kajaare ki dhar”,“Aye ghame zindagi kuch to de mashwara”, “Maikhane se sharab”, “Chandi jaisa rang hai tera sone jaise baal”, “Aaj fir tum pe pyaar aaya”, “Mohabbat inyat karam dekhte hain”,“Jaaneman karwate badal badal” and “Chahat desh se aane wale” Udhas was synonymous with ghazals, an Arabic word that means “conversing with the beloved”. It developed in Persia in the 10th century AD from the Arabic verse form ‘qasida’, according to rekhta.Com But he was much more than that. “Ghazal singer, art lover & an avid reader. I love to travel to different destinations; I relish different cuisines. Apart from ghazals, I listen to Beatles,” his Facebook profile says. Udhas, who received the Padma Shri in 2006, was also a science graduate working to eradicate thalassemia, according to his X profile.

 

He was born in Gujarat’s Rajkot town to a family of musicians. His father Keshubhai Udhas played the string instrument dilruba. And his two elder brothers Manhar Udhas and Nirmal Udhas were well-known singers too. HE WILL ALWAYS BE AMONG US THROUGH HIS SONGS, SAYS SHAH: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday condoled the passing of renowned ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas and said his demise has left a huge void in the world of music that will be difficult to fill for a long time. “Pankaj Udhas ji mesmerised many generations with his melodious voice,” Shah said in a post on X.