Popular Indian singer Asha Bhosle passes away

KATHMANDU: Asha Bhosle, one of India’s most celebrated and versatile playback singers, passed away on Sunday. She was 92.

She died at Breach Candy Hospital due to multi-organ failure after being admitted with cardiac and respiratory complications.

Bhosle, the younger sister of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, was part of the renowned Mangeshkar family that defined Indian music for decades. Over a career spanning more than seven decades, she lent her voice to a vast range of musical genres, including film songs, pop, ghazals, bhajans, Indian classical music, folk songs, qawwalis, and Rabindra Sangeet. Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in over 20 Indian and foreign languages, including Nepali.

She has made a significant contribution to the Nepali music and film industry. She made her mark in the Nepali film industry with her first Nepali song ‘Basanta Nai Basna Khojchha Yahan..’ from the film Maitighar made in 1966. Jaidev, an Indian composer, used Bhosle’s voice for the iconic folk song.

Her engagement with the Nepali film industry increased largely due to acclaimed music director Ranjit Gazmer who was part of noted composer RD Burman’s band. Bhosle was married to Burman. Bhosle went on to deliver several memorable songs in Nepali films like Lahure, Mayalu, Prem Pinda, Chino, Koseli, Samjhana, Parivar, Deuta, Kanyadan, Saino, and Maitighar, to name a few.

Bhosle last visited Nepal in 2019 at the invitation of Sadhana Kala Kendra. During the visit, she also performed at a live concert, featuring Nepali hit numbers composed by Gazmer.