By: Mohnish Singh
Ahead of the funeral of legendary singer Pankaj Udhas, several celebrities arrived at his residence in Mumbai to pay their condolences to the bereaved family.
Musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Ustad Zakir Hussain were spotted arriving at the house of the singer, who passed away on February 26 after a period of prolonged illness.
Recalling the Ghazal maestro, Mahadevan said, “He had a positive approach towards everything in life. May God give his family abundant strength to bear this big loss. I am in a state of shock.”
A Padma Shri recipient, Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday at the age of 72. The news of his demise was confirmed by his family via a statement.
“With profound sadness, we inform you of the passing of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on February 26th due to a prolonged illness. — The Udhas Family,” the statement read.
Pankaj Udhas was born on May 17, 1951, in Jetpur, Gujarat. In addition to ghazals, he was well-known for his film work. In 1980, he gained widespread popularity for his solo ghazal album ‘Aahat’. Later, he recorded other successes, including Mukarar (1981), Tarrannum (1982), Mehfil (1983), and many more.
Some of his popular renditions are ‘Chitthi Aayi Hai’, ‘Chandani Raat Mein’, ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhaar’, ‘Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein’, ‘Ek Taraf Uska Ghar’ and ‘Thodi Thodi Piya Karo’.