Ishmeet Singh with Lata Mangeshkar on the eve of the STAR Voice of India finals

Calcutta, July 29: STAR Voice of India winner Ishmeet Singh died in Male, the capital of the Maldives, this evening after he dived into a pool and suffered a head injury.

According to the Dhivehi Observer, a news website on Male, the 20-year-old jumped into the shallow end of a pool in Dhonveli Beach Resort, where he was staying.

He was given emergency treatment after his friends alerted resort officials but he died within minutes of the accident.

A police investigation has been ordered. Other reports say he had drowned.

According to sources in STAR Plus, the channel that telecast Voice of India and Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar — the two shows in which Ishmeet had taken part — another Voice of India participant, Sumitra Iyer, and some child singers of the reality show Chhote Ustaad were also in Male.

Ishmeet had reached Male today to attend a show for a music company with which he had a contract.

Last November, the Ludhiana youth had won STAR Voice of India, edging out Harshit Saxena. He had been handed the winner’s trophy by Lata Mangeshkar. In Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar, he had made it to the top seven in June.

“I am aghast to hear the news. Ishmeet was a good human being and had a great future ahead,” said Mandira Bedi, who had anchored Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar.

“He was a go-getter and had a lot of plans. We had spoken a few times even after he got eliminated from the show. He had told me that he was working on his album and wanted to compose as well,” said Arun Sheshkumar, director of Jo Jeeta….

“He never showed his emotions and had taken the elimination very sweetly. He had made his name with soulful songs but on Jo Jeeta… he tried to show his versatility, which earned him praise from the judges (Bollywood composers) Vishal and Shekhar,” Sheshkumar added.

“He was a true talent, a decent human being and a sincere and focused singer,” Vishal Dadlani said.

Debojit Saha, the Saregamapa Challenge 2005 winner who was Ishmeet’s fellow contestant in Jo Jeeta…, could not believe his friend had died. “His mother had said on the show that Ishmeet hated taking a bath. Why would such a boy rush for a swim on the very first day of reaching a country?”