Renowned singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg has died in Singapore at the age of 52 following a tragic scuba diving accident. According to reports, he fell unconscious during the dive, was rescued by Singapore police, and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors placed him under intensive care but could not save him. Zubeen was in Singapore to attend the North East Festival, where he was scheduled to perform on September 20. His sudden demise has shocked fans, fellow musicians, and admirers across Assam, the Northeast, and beyond, leaving a deep void in India’s music industry.
Tributes and condolences have poured in, with former Rajya Sabha MP Ripu Bora writing on X, “Deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely demise of our cultural icon Zubeen Garg. His voice, music, and indomitable spirit inspired generations across Assam and beyond. My heartfelt condolences to his family, fans, and loved ones. Rest in peace, Legend (sic).”
Born in 1972 in Meghalaya as Zubeen Borthakur, he adopted his stage name in the 1990s by replacing his surname with his gotra, Garg. Known as the “rockstar of the Northeast,” Zubeen recorded over 40,000 songs in more than 40 languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, and English. His Bollywood breakthrough came with the chartbuster Ya Ali from Gangster (2006), followed by hits such as Subah Subah and Kya Raaz Hai. In Assam, his soulful songs, modern fusion tracks, and evergreen Bihu numbers made him a household name, and he was regarded as the state’s highest-paid singer for many years. Beyond music, he acted in Assamese and Bengali films, composed for cinema, and was deeply involved in cultural and social causes. In recent years, he worked to revive the Assamese film industry through projects such as Mission China and Sikaar. His upcoming movie Roi Roi Binale is slated for release on October 31.
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