Anuradha Paudwal mourns the demise of Pankaj Udhas: I have lost a dear friend, a human being par excellence

The nation is mourning the loss of celebrated musician and ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas. After battling a prolonged illness, he passed away on the morning of February 26, 2024.

In his career spanning decades Pankaj Udhas had often collaborated with celebrated singer Anuradha Paudwal. Expressing grief over the unfortunate news, she shared, "I have lost a dear friend! A human being par excellence." They had crooned hits like 'Aaj Phir Tumpe' from Dayavan (1988), 'Ek Pal Ek Din' from Jigar (1992) and 'Jo Geet Nahi Janma' from 'Sangeet' to name a few. They had also collaborated for Aashiyana, a special gazal album. Interestingly, Pankaj Udhas and Anuradha Paudwal were co- students at St Xavier’s College in Mumbai.

Paying an ode to the maestro, PM Narendra Modi shared 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."

See more: Music maestro Pankaj Udhas passes away at 73: Bollywood and music industry pays homage


Pankaj Udhas' daughter Nayaab shared a statement on Instagram to confirm the unfortunate news. She shared, "With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to a prolonged illness."