Popular Indian singer dies at 52 after scuba diving

Bollywood star Zubeen Garg tragically died, age 52, in Bukit Merah, Singapore after scuba diving last Friday.

The Indian 52-year-old reportedly ‘experienced breathing difficulties and was immediately given CPR’ before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital and was ‘declared dead in the ICU around 2:30pm IST.’

Zubeen had been scheduled to appear at the Northeast India Festival in nearby Suntec City last Saturday when festival director Shaymkanu Mahanta received an urgent call from his manager.

‘We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge,’ Mahanta noted in the statement.

‘In light of this tragedy, we are cancelling the event.’

According to the Times of India, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a press conference Sunday that Garg’s (born Borthakur) death certificate lists drowning, but the post-mortem report is still being finished.

Bollywood star Zubeen Garg tragically died, age 52, in Bukit Merah, Singapore after scuba diving last Friday (pictured last Wednesday)

Bollywood star Zubeen Garg tragically died, age 52, in Bukit Merah, Singapore after scuba diving last Friday (pictured last Wednesday)

The Indian 52-year-old reportedly 'experienced breathing difficulties and was immediately given CPR' before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital and was 'declared dead in the ICU around 2:30pm IST'

The Indian 52-year-old reportedly ‘experienced breathing difficulties and was immediately given CPR’ before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital and was ‘declared dead in the ICU around 2:30pm IST’

Thousands of fans and well wishers amassed around Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday to pay their respects to the Joddha actor.

Sarma also revealed Zubeen will be laid to rest this Tuesday following the state mourning period, and a memorial will be built on a ’10 bigha land parcel in Hatimura, Kamarkuchi NC Village.’

Garg is survived by his wife of 23 years, costume designer Garima Saikia Garg, and their son Gautam Garg.

ANI tweeted a video on Sunday of the grieving widow crying with both hands pressed on the Wide Angle star’s glass coffin.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi was ‘shocked’ by the untimely death of Zubeen and tweeted his condolences.

‘Shocked by the sudden demise of popular singer Zubeen Garg,’ Modi tweeted on X last Friday.

‘He will be remembered for his rich contribution to music. His renditions were very popular among people across all walks of life. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.’

Garg was also remembered by Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister of Assam, who called it a ‘terrible tragedy.’

‘His voice defined a generation, and his talent was truly unmatched,’ Gandhi tweeted.

‘He overcame personal tragedies to reshape the landscape of Assamese music. His perseverance and courage have left an enduring mark. He will live on in our hearts and minds forever.’

Zubeen had been scheduled to appear at the Northeast India Festival in nearby Suntec City last Saturday when festival director Shaymkanu Mahanta received an urgent call from his manager (pictured in 2013)

Zubeen had been scheduled to appear at the Northeast India Festival in nearby Suntec City last Saturday when festival director Shaymkanu Mahanta received an urgent call from his manager (pictured in 2013)

Mahanta noted in the statement: 'We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge...In light of this tragedy, we are cancelling the event'

Mahanta noted in the statement: ‘We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge…In light of this tragedy, we are cancelling the event’

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a press conference Sunday that Garg's death certificate lists drowning, but the post-mortem report is still being finished (pictured March 16)

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a press conference Sunday that Garg’s death certificate lists drowning, but the post-mortem report is still being finished (pictured March 16)

Thousands of fans and well wishers that amassed around Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday to pay their respects to the Joddha actor

Thousands of fans and well wishers that amassed around Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday to pay their respects to the Joddha actor

Sarma also revealed Zubeen will be laid to rest this Tuesday following the state mourning period, and a memorial will be built on a '10 bigha land parcel in Hatimura, Kamarkuchi NC Village'

Sarma also revealed Zubeen will be laid to rest this Tuesday following the state mourning period, and a memorial will be built on a ’10 bigha land parcel in Hatimura, Kamarkuchi NC Village’

Garg is survived by his wife of 23 years, costume designer Garima Saikia Garg (L, pictured April 2), and their son Gautam Garg

Garg is survived by his wife of 23 years, costume designer Garima Saikia Garg (L, pictured April 2), and their son Gautam Garg

ANI tweeted a video on Sunday of the grieving widow crying with both hands pressed on the Wide Angle star's glass coffin

ANI tweeted a video on Sunday of the grieving widow crying with both hands pressed on the Wide Angle star’s glass coffin

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi was 'shocked' by the untimely death of Zubeen and tweeted his condolences

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi was ‘shocked’ by the untimely death of Zubeen and tweeted his condolences

Garg was also remembered by Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister of Assam, who called it a 'terrible tragedy'

Garg was also remembered by Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister of Assam, who called it a ‘terrible tragedy’

The jewel of Assam got his biggest break in Bollywood performing his signature song Ya Ali in Anurag Basu's 2006 romantic thriller, Gangster: A Love Story

The jewel of Assam got his biggest break in Bollywood performing his signature song Ya Ali in Anurag Basu’s 2006 romantic thriller, Gangster: A Love Story

Zubeen sang in over 40 languages and played 12 instruments including the drums, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, keyboard, and tabla (pictured in 2024)

Zubeen sang in over 40 languages and played 12 instruments including the drums, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, keyboard, and tabla (pictured in 2024)

Garg - who averages 2.4M monthly listeners on Spotify - has two upcoming films set to be released, Homework and Roi Roi Binale (pictured in 2024)

Garg – who averages 2.4M monthly listeners on Spotify – has two upcoming films set to be released, Homework and Roi Roi Binale (pictured in 2024)

The jewel of Assam was only 19 when he released his debut studio album Anamika in 1992.

Zubeen got his biggest break in Bollywood performing his signature song Ya Ali in Anurag Basu’s 2006 romantic thriller, Gangster: A Love Story.

Garg sang in over 40 languages and played 12 instruments including the drums, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, keyboard, and tabla.

The Kalaguru Artiste Foundation founder is said to have recorded over 38K songs in a career spanning four decades

Zubeen – who averages 2.4M monthly listeners on Spotify – has two upcoming films set to be released, Homework and Roi Roi Binale.

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