Ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas passes away at 72

Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, among others, pay their last respects to the legendary singer

Globally renowned Ghazal maestro and Padma Shri recipient Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday at the age of 72. Taking to Instagram, Pankaj Udhas’ daughter Nayaab shared a statement on Instagram which read, “With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to a prolonged illness.”

The legendary singer passed away after a prolonged illness. Soon after Nayaab shared the news of the singer’s demise, his fans swamped the comment section and posted their condolences.

Ahead of the funeral of 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.

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’.