In brief
As the iconic Indian singer Asha Bhosle is laid to rest, crowds continue to gather outside her home in Mumbai. Political leaders, musicians, and fans express their grief and condolences, commemorating her contributions to music over an illustrious career spanning eight decades. Full state honors will be accorded during her last rites.
Tributes are continuing to be paid to India's legendary singer Asha Bhosle, who has died at the age of 92. The two-time Grammy nominee, whose career spanned nearly eight decades and thousands of recordings, died in Mumbai on Sunday after being admitted to hospital following a heart attack. Her last rites will take place on Monday evening at Shivaji Park in Mumbai city, with full state honours. Her death has prompted an outpouring of grief from across India and beyond, with political leaders, musicians, actors, and fans remembering her as one of the defining voices of Indian cinema. Since Sunday evening, crowds have been gathering outside Bhosle's home in Mumbai to pay their last respects to the singer.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Bhosle was one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known, while President Draupadi Murmu said her death was an irreparable loss to music lovers. Leading figures from the film industry and sport, including Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar, also paid tribute, reflecting the breadth of her influence across generations.Khan wrote that Bhosle was a talent that will outlive many, and her voice has been one of the pillars of Indian cinema and will continue to resonate world over for centuries to come. Cricketer Tendulkar, who knew her personally, said Asha Tai was family and that through her eternal songs, she will remain timeless. The tributes reflect the scale of her influence. With a voice that moved easily from romantic ballads to high-energy numbers, she became the go-to singer for composers across genres and generations.Born in 1933 into a family of musicians, she began singing as a child alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father's death. She rose to prominence in the 1950s during collaborations with composer OP Nayyar, marking a turning point in her career. Her legacy lives on, as evidenced by the tributes that echo her profound impact on the world of music and beyond.
