BackBack Pankaj Udhas death: Ghazal singer passes away at 72

Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas has passed away after battling a prolonged illness. His daughter Nayaab Udhas confirmed the news through a social media post. Family sources reported that the renowned singer of songs like “Chitthi Ayee Hai” and “Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein” breathed his last at a Mumbai hospital around 11 am. The last rites are scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

“In a heartfelt announcement, we regretfully announce the passing of Padma Shri Pankaj Udhas on February 26 due to a long-standing illness,” stated a message from the family.

The sudden demise of the singer has deeply saddened and shocked the music industry. Following the news on Monday afternoon, condolences flooded social media platforms as fans and colleagues expressed their grief and disbelief.

Udhas was born into a musically inclined family in Gujarat and began his musical journey by attending the Rajkot Sangeet Academy with his brothers. He received formal training in Hindustani vocal classical music from Ghulam Qadir Khan Sahab and later moved to Mumbai to study under Gwalior Gharana singer Navrang Nagpurkar.

It is reported that his first public performance was during the India-China war, where he sang “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo,” earning him a reward of ₹51 from an impressed audience member. His debut song credit was in the 1972 film “Kaamna,” directed by K Chatterjee.

Throughout his career, Udhas released over fifty albums and numerous compilations. He also contributed his voice to several Hindi films, including “Naam,” “Saajan,” and “Mohra.” Despite his involvement in ghazal events, his most recent playback singing credit was for the 2016 film “Dil Toh Deewana Hai.”