Renowned Assamese singer and composer Zubeen Garg, best known for his soulful voice and timeless songs, has tragically passed away at the age of 52 after a scuba diving accident in Singapore.
Garg had traveled to Singapore to perform at the 4th North East India Festival. During a diving session, he experienced severe breathing difficulties. Despite being given CPR and rushed to Singapore General Hospital, doctors could not save him, and he was declared dead in the ICU.
The news has sent shockwaves across Assam and the entire music industry. Tributes have poured in from fans, fellow artists, and leaders. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described Garg as “one of the state’s dearest sons,” saying his untimely death is an irreparable loss.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Zubeen Garg became a household name with hits like “Ya Ali” from the Bollywood film Gangster and hundreds of Assamese and Bengali songs that defined an era of regional music. He was celebrated for bringing Northeast Indian music into the mainstream while staying rooted in folk traditions.
In what has now become a poignant farewell, Garg had posted on social media just hours before his death, inviting fans to join him at the festival.
His body is expected to be flown back to Assam, where thousands are likely to gather to pay their final respects to a singer whose voice became a symbol of love, identity, and pride for the Northeast.
