Pankaj Udhas who was considered the maestro of the Indian music genre known as ‘ghazals’ recently passed away at the age of 73 in Mumbai, India at 11 am on 26 February 2024.

The news of Pankaj Udhas’s death was shared by his daughter, Nayaab Udhas on Instagram:

Pankaj Udhas was born in Jetpur in Gujarat. He was the youngest of the three brothers. His parents were Keshubhai Udhas and Jituben Udhas.

As a child he used to often see his father play the ‘dilruba’ a stringed isntrument and that is from where his interest in music arouse. His father recognising that enrolled him and his brother at Sangeet Academy in Rajkot. Though he started with learning table he soon switched to learning Hindustani vocal classical music from Ghulam Qadir Khan Sahab and later on under the tutelage of Navrang Nagpurkar, a singer from the Gwalior Gharana

His started his career in Bolywood music industry in 1972 with a film called Kamna, but unfortunately it did not perform well.  As his interest in ghazals grew, he also learned Urdu to become a ghazal singer. But his journey was not without hurdles. Udhas moved for 10 months to Canada and then to the US, where he gave several ghazal concerts before he decided to return back to India.

It was in 1980 that he released his first album ‘Aahat’,  followed by several others such as Mukarar in 1981, Tarrannum in 1982, Mehfil in 1983, Pankaj Udhas Live at Royal Albert Hall in 1984, Nayaab in 1985 and Aafreen in 1986. However, his song ‘Chitti  Aayee Hai'(the letter has arrived) in the hindi movie called Naam which released in 1986 became his ticket to fame and since then there was no turning back.

Some of his other popular works include ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar'(1994, movie Mohra), ‘Aaj Fir Tum Pe'(1988 movie Dayavan), songs of movie Saajan(1991), Jigar(1992), Phir teri Kahani Yaad Ayi(1993) and many many more.

There are some interesting facts about Pankaj Udhas that very few people know such as :-

1 He followed the ritual to recite Hanuman Chalisa before stepping on the stage.

2.During the India-China war, he earned Rs51 as token of appreciation from an audience member for his stage show where he had performed on the song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’ as he made everyone emotional.

3. His love marriage with wife Farida, who was a former air hostess was filled with hurdles due to religious difference but he pursued nonetheless and got married to his love.

4. He contributed immensely to charities such as the Cancer Patients Aid Association and the Parents Thalassemia Unit.

5. He originally wanted to become a doctor, but fate had other plans.

One of the earliest recognitions of his talent came during a stage show where he performed ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’ during the India-China war period, earning him a token of appreciation of Rs 51 from an audience member.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his paid tribute to the celebrated musician and wrote on X

“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.”

Here are details of the funeral ceremony of Pankaj Udhas.

Date: February 27

Time: 3pm to 5pm

Venue: Hindu Crematorium, Worli, Mumbai

He is survived by 2 daughters Reva and Nayaab along with his wife Farida.