Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has died following a scuba diving accident in Singapore. He was 52.
According to reports, Singapore police rescued him from the sea and rushed him to a nearby hospital. He could not be saved despite being placed under intensive medical care.
Zubeen Garg, moments before he passed away
Born Zubeen Borthakur on November 18, 1972, in Tura, Meghalaya, Garg became one of the most influential voices in Assam. A singer–songwriter, composer, actor and philanthropist, he worked across Assamese, Hindi and Bengali music and film industries, and sang in over 40 languages and dialects.
A multi-instrumentalist, Garg debuted with the Assamese album Anamika in 1992 before moving to Mumbai. He gained nationwide fame with Ya Ali from the 2006 film Gangster, which won him the Global Indian Film Award for Best Playback Singer.
Over his career, he recorded songs for films such as Dil Se, Fiza, Kaante and Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, while remaining a towering figure in Assamese music.
Regarded as Assam’s highest-paid singer, Garg received several honours, including an honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degree from the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, in 2024.
Beyond music, he was active in social work through his Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, contributed to flood relief efforts, and offered his Guwahati residence as a COVID Care Centre during the pandemic. He was also a prominent cultural voice in the anti-CAA movement.
Condolences poured in from political leaders and admirers. “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. 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.,” tweeted Himanta Biswa Sarma, chief minister of Assam.
