Assam's superstar Zubeen Garg dies while swimming in Singapore, Assam shocked

The 52-year singer, musician, lyricist, actor and filmmaker, was in Singapore to perform during the 4th edition of Northeast Festival,

 Zubeen Garg, a music superstar from Assam, who also earned popularity in Hindi film industry and bound generations in the state, died while swimming in a sea in Singapore on Friday. 

The 52-year singer, musician, lyricist, actor and filmmaker, was in Singapore to perform doing the 4th edition of Northeast Festival, which began on Friday. The incident took place at around 2.30pm after he experienced breathing difficulties while swimming in the sea, the organiser of the event said, in a note. "He was immediately given Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital. Despite efforts to save him, he was declared deceased in the ICU around 2.30pm," the note said. 

The CPR is an emergency support given to a person experiencing breathing difficulties.

The organiser earlier said they were informed that Zubeen was out on scuba diving. 

In a detailed statement later, Shyamkanu Mahanta, who leads the festival, however, said that Zubeen's manager informed them about the accident when his team was busy in business meetings with Singaporean industrialists to attract investors to the Northeast. "We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge." 

The artist, popularly called Zubeen da by the young fans, was survived by his wife. 

Confirming Garg's untimely demise, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X, "Today Assam lost one of its favourite sons. I am in a loss of words to describe what Zubeen meant for Assam. He has gone too early, this was not an age to go." 

Sarma further wrote," Zubeen's voice had an unmatched ability to energise people and his music spoke directly to our minds and souls. He has left a void that will never be filled. Our future generations will remember him as a stalwart of Assam’s culture, and his works will inspire many more talented artists in the days and years to come."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined people of Assam in mourning Garg's death. 

Musical journey

Since beginning his music career with an Assamese album, Anamika in 1992, Zubeen Garg sang more than 38,000 songs in different languages. Most of his songs, however, was in Assamese, Hindi and Bengali. His Assamese albums, Mukti, Pakhi and Baahi got immense popularity. Zubeen's popularity rose natonally with the release of his songs Ya Ali...in the movie Gangstar, in 2006.Zubeen, who sang Indian folk, pop, classical, and rock with so much ease that he soon became a star, particularly among the young generations. The cultural nights organised as part of the annual Rongali Bihu festival in Assam, was also consideredbby many incomplete without performance by Zubeen. He was a multi-instrumentalist and could play several instruments. He even made several hit Assamase cinemas when the Assamese cinema was struggling for survival. Mourning Zubeen's death, PM Modi wrote on X, "Shocked by the sudden demise of popular singer Zubeen Garg. He will be remembered for his rich contribution to music. His renditions were very popular among people across all walks of life..." 

Rahul Gandhi wrote, "The passing of Zubeen Garg is a terrible tragedy. His voice defined a generation, and his talent was truly unmatched. He overcame personal tragedies to reshape the landscape of Assamese music. His perseverance and courage have left an enduring mark."The organiser of the festival said the festival was immediately cancelled.