Mumbai: Renowned singer Jagjit Singh, known as much for his ghazals and bhajans as for his work in Hindi cinema, died here on Monday after a brain haemorrhage. He was 70.
Singh, who breathed his last at 8 am, was admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital on Sep 23 after he suffered brain haemorrhage. He is survived by his wife Chitra Singh.
A Padma Bhushan award recipient, Singh has sung from many popular Hindi films. He had also sung in several languages, including Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati and Nepali.
Singh’s career boasted a repertoire comprising 50 albums.
He gave voice to classic numbers like Kal chaudhavin ki raat, Honthon se chhoo lo tum, Koi ye kaise bataaye, Woh kaagaz ki kashti, Chitthi Na Koi Sandesh, Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho, Yeh daulat bhi le lo, yeh shohrat bhi le lo, Tumko dekha toh ye khayal aaya, Jhuki jhuki si nazar, Shaam se aankh mein namin si hai, Badi nazuk hai, Hoshwaalon ko khabar kya and Kiska chehra.
Born on Feb 8, 1941 in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, Singh had four sisters and two brothers and was known as Jeet by his family.
He was the first Indian composer and, together with wife Chitra, the first recording artist in India to use digital multi-track recording — for the album Beyond Time (1987).
Singh also voiced his concern over the politicisation of arts and culture in India and the lack of support for practitioners of India’s traditional art forms, particularly folk artists and musicians.
Condolences poured in from political leaders Monday over the death of ghazal king Jagjit Singh.
President Pratibha Patil in her message to his wife Chitra said that Jagjit Singh was “known for his unique style of ghazal singing which brought out the deepest and inner most feelings”.
She said audiences at two occasions at Rashtrapati Bhavan felt the magic of his singing.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who said he was an admirer of his, said he was “saddened” by his death.
“I am saddened to learn of Jagjit Singh’s passing away. He was blessed with a golden voice. By making ghazals accessible to everyone, he gave joy and pleasure to millions of music lovers in India and abroad,” he said.
“I count myself among his admirers and share their sorrow. His music legacy will continue to enchant and entertain,” he added.
Senior BJP leader LK Advani described him as “an extraordinary personality who took ghazals to the common man in an effective way.”
Paying his tributes to the singer, Advani said Jagjit Singh’s genre also extended to devotional music.
“It is a huge loss to the world of music and art…He was an extraordinary personality,” Advani said. (IANS)