Pankaj Udhas Passes Away: Sonu Nigam, Anup Jalota And Other Musicians Mourn The Ghazal Icon’s Death

In unfortunate news, the ghazal icon Pankaj Udhas passed away today. The news has left all his fans and musicians in the industry heartbroken. The legendary singer was 72 years old. The news was shared by his family. He was suffering from a prolonged illness. As soon as the news was shared, many musicians including Sonu Nigam, Anup Jalota, and others took to their social media to express their condolence.

Sonu Nigam took to his Instagram handle and shared the photo of Pankaj Udhas. He wrote, “One of the most important part of my childhood is lost today. Shri Pankaj Udhas ji, I will miss you forever. My heart cries knowing that you are no more. Thank you for being there. Om Shanti (sic).” India Today reported Shankar Mahadevan saying, “Oh My god, this is so shocking, a terrible loss to the music industry. I’m not able to reconcile this loss”.

Singer Anup Jalota shared photos with Pankaj Udhas and wrote, “Unke jaane ka bahut dukh hai, we met sometime back (His death has saddened me. We had met sometime back)”, the musician and vocalist told IndiaToday.in. He also shared his grief on X and wrote, “Shocking (sad face emoji) Music legend & my Friend #PankajUdhas passes away. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his Family and loved ones during this difficult time (sic).”

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Singer and songwriter Sona Mohapatra shared a throwback picture with the singer and wrote, “Full of grace & a thorough gentleman, I met Pankaj Udhas jee when he had invited me to perform at his Khazana Ghazal Festival. While many of us know him as a singer and performer, he was also a composer par excellence with super hits like – Ek Taraf Uska Ghar, Chand Jaisa #OmShanti (sic).”

Singer-actor Raageshwari also expressed her shock and wrote, “Shocking (sad face emoji) Music legend & my Friend Koti Koti Pranaam to our beloved Padmashri #PankajUdhas ji’s divine soul. May his soul rest in peace (folding hands emoji) His velvet voice will last forever uniting us with love (sic).”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his condolences through his X(formerly Twitter) handle. He wrote, “We mourn the loss of Pankaj Udhas Ji, whose singing conveyed a range of emotions and whose Ghazals spoke directly to the soul. He was a beacon of Indian music, whose melodies transcended generations. I recall my various interactions with him over the years.

His departure leaves a void in the music world that can never be filled. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

The family statement read, “With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhar on February 26, 2024, due to a prolonged illness.” The news has come as a shock to many. Singer Sonu Nigam was among the first ones to react to his death. The celebrated Ghazal singer was also quite active on social media and would often share videos and pictures on Instagram. His last post was three months ago.