Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle with Prime Mnister Narendra Modi. (Photo:Narendra Modi)
Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle died at 92 in Mumbai on Sunday. She was admitted to the city’s Breach Candy Hospital around 7 pm on Saturday after her condition deteriorated following a chest infection and fatigue, and was under close observation in the ICU. “She was brought in a critical state and despite all efforts, she succumbed to multi-organ failure at 12 noon today,” Dr Pratit Samdani said.
Soon after her death, tributes poured in from all quarters as from artists to political leaders offered their condolences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered her as the “one of the most and versatile voices India has ever known”. “Deeply saddened” by Bhosle’s passing away, he said,”Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world. Be it her soulful melodies or vibrant compositions, her voice carried timeless brilliance. I’ll always cherish the interactions I’ve had with her.”
modi extended his condolences to her family, admirers and music lovers. “She will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people’s lives.”
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Maharashtra Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis said, “The news of the passing of veteran singer, Padma Vibhushan and Maharashtra Bhushan Ashatai Bhosle, who celebrated her 90th birthday with great enthusiasm three years ago, is deeply saddening.” He said another star from the Mangeshkar family has fallen. “Today, the beautiful garden of melodies stands desolate. Ashatai’s voice was the soul of music. She was the perennial green season of singing and a melodic ocean of emotions. From soulful songs like ‘Tora Man Darpan Kehlae’ to tracks like ‘Khallas,’ she sang various moods with effortless ease,” he added.
Noting Bhosle’s versatility, Fadnavis further said. “Whether it was Bhaktigeet, Bhavgeet, Natyasangeet, Ghazals, Classical music, Rabindra Sangeet, folk songs, or Pop, she left her unique mark on every genre. She sang over 12,000 songs in more than 20 Indian languages, including Marathi, Hindi, and Bengali, as well as foreign languages.”
He wrote in detail about her awards and hailed her ability to adapt to change. “Along with the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan,’ she was also honored with awards like the ‘Bangla Bibhushan.’ There will never be another versatile singer who could embrace change so naturally. Recently, we were together at a World Radio Day event where she insisted I sing ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar…’ and even remarked, ‘See, I made the Chief Minister sing.’ It is hard to imagine that we will no longer have Ashatai’s presence with us. I offer my heartfelt tribute to her. We share in the grief of her family and her countless fans across the country. Om Shanti.”
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Sharing condolences on Asha Bhosle’s death, Uddhav Thackeray wrote on X, “Extremely saddened to hear the news of Asha Bhosle’s passing. An immortal voice of the Indian music world has fallen silent today. Her melodies brought joy to many generations and touched countless emotions. She was a vibrant personality; after Lata Didi, she stood as a pillar of a great era in the field of music. This pillar of the Indian music industry has now collapsed. Her songs will remain her immortality. A humble tribute to her memory.”
