Mumbai, February 26,2024:: 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.
Among the evergreen ghazals that Pankaj Udhas lent his vocals to were ‘Chitthi Aayi Hai’, ‘Chandani Raat Mein’, ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhaar’, ‘Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein’, ‘Ek Taraf Uska Ghar’ and ‘Thodi Thodi Piya Karo’.
Udhas and his elder brother Manhar Udhas were both known for their soulful singing. While the younger brother made his singing debut in 1970s with several Bollywood projects, Pankaj Udhaas was best known for ‘chhitthi aayi hai‘ from 1986 blockbuster ‘Naam’.
The song made Pankaj Udhas a household name in 80s. Indian cinema’s ultimate showman Raj Kapoor once told Udhas that this song had immortalised him – ‘tu amar ho gaya.’ During a media interaction, Udhas had said that this song was recorded in a single take.
Born on April 17, 1951, in Gujarat’s Savarkundla, Pankaj Udhas belonged to a family deeply rooted in music. His elder brother, Manhar Udhas, had established himself as a prominent Hindi playback singer in Bollywood. Pankaj Udhas later relocated to Mumbai and pursued his education at St. Xavier’s College.
Apart from ‘chitthi aayi hai‘ from the 1986 hit Naam, other memorable Bollywood number by Pankaj Udhas include 1994 chart-topper ‘na kajre ki dhar‘ from the film Mohra. Not only Bollywood, Udhas made a mark with his non-film songs such as ‘chandi jaisa rang hai tera,’ ‘chupke chupke sakhiyon se‘ and ‘ahista‘.
