Singer Zubeen Garg Dies In Tragic Accident In Singapore

SINGAPORE– Zubeen Garg, the beloved Assamese singer and music composer, passed away on September 19 in Singapore following a tragic scuba diving accident. He was 52.

Garg was in Singapore to attend the fourth North East India Festival and was scheduled to perform on September 20. The festival organizers have since canceled the event in the wake of his demise.

According to a statement from the festival organizers, Garg was on a yacht visit with a few members of the local Assamese community when the accident occurred. The organizers stated they had “no prior knowledge” of the yacht trip. Garg reportedly suffered from breathing issues while scuba diving and was rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU. Despite intensive care, he could not be saved.

The news of his death has sent shockwaves across the music industry and beyond. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences in a post, writing, “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. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

Bollywood’s music fraternity also expressed their grief. Music composer Pritam, who collaborated with Garg on the hit song “Ya Ali,” shared a note on social media, saying, “Zubeen losing his life in an accident is just the most terrible and saddest news. I’m still trying to come to terms with it.” Singer Papon described the loss as a “big void.”

Just hours before the tragedy, Garg had shared a video on his social media inviting fans to the festival, where he was a cultural brand ambassador. “I will be there throughout the festival… and will perform on the 20th evening with my popular Hindi, Bengali and Assamese songs,” he said in the video. A viral video circulating online shows Garg in high spirits, spontaneously joining a live band on stage for what would be his last performance.

Garg was a superstar in India’s Northeast, and his Bollywood breakthrough came with the timeless hit ‘Ya Ali’ from the 2006 movie ‘Gangster.’

This is not the first tragedy to strike Garg’s family. His younger sister, Jongki Borthakur, a singer and actress, died in a car accident in 2002. Garg had dedicated the album Xixhu to her memory. He is survived by his wife, fashion designer Garima Saika Garg. (With IANS and ANI inputs)