The renowned Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas passed away in a hospital in Mumbai this Monday after a long illness. He sang songs like ‘Aur Ahiste Kijiye Baatein’ and ‘Chitthi Ayee Hai’.
The Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas lost his life on Monday in a Mumbai hospital following a prolonged illness. The reports were confirmed in a social media post by his daughter, Nayaab Udhas, where he was said to have breathed his last around 11 am. The last rites were scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
The ‘Chitthi Ayee Hai’ singer’s demise has left the music industry in shock and grief. After the news broke on the internet on Monday, condolence messages poured in, and many expressed their shock, dismay, and grievances via social media.
A Brief Look At the Life of Pankaj Udhas
Pankaj Udhas was born in Gujarat into a musical family on May 17, 1951, and was enrolled in the Rajkot Sangeet Academy alongside his brothers at a young age. Later, he began learning Hindustani vocal classical music from Ghulam Qadir Khan Sahab. He eventually moved to Mumbai to train under the Navrang Nagpurkar singer from Gwalior Gharana. It has been suggested that Pankaj Udhas’s first stage performance was a rendition of the Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo during the India-China war, which moved an audience member to such an extent that he gave him a reward of Rs. 51, which was valued quite high at the time. His first song credit came in the film Kaamna, which K. Chatterjee directed.
The legend left a timeless legacy in the form of some of the most amazing and loved songs and was considered one of the few truly precious artists left in the country who could do a unique style of singing Urdu verses. Ranked with pioneers like Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhas was widely applauded among the masses and was also honored with a Padma Shri in 2006. He was a popular fan favourite of not just the old generation but also of touching the hearts of the young generation.
Over the years, Pankaj Udhas has released more than fifty albums and countless compilations. He has lent his voice to many Hindi films like Naam, Saajan, and Mohra. He also continued to perform for multiple Ghazal events, and while he gave multiple hits, his most recent song as a playback singer was for Dil Toh Deewana Hai in 2016.
The Demise of a Legendary Singer
The demise of Ghazal King Pankaj Udhas was announced by his daughter in a social media post from the whole family. The family announced his demise with a post that had the following written and we quote,
“With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padma Shri Pankaj Udhas on February 26 due to a prolonged illness.”. His demise has left the whole country in mourning.
