Bengali singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, whose golden voice enthralled generations, passes away at 90

Mukhopadhyay was hospitalised on January 27 after she developed heart- and lung-related complications following Covid-19 infection. Since then, she has been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city.

“Mrs Sandhya Gupta (Mukherjee) suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at around 7:30 pm after suffering from irregular heartbeat and could not be revived. The hospital deeply mourns the passing away of the legendary singer,” said a spokesperson of the hospital.

Mourning Mukhopadhyay’s demise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “She had recovered from Covid-19 and was stable. Yesterday her condition deteriorated but we hadn’t thought that she would pass away. She led a disciplined life. Today we have lost a legend.”

Banerjee announced that the singer’s body will be kept at Rabindra Sadan on Wednesday for her admirers to pay their last respects. “I will cut short my trip to north Bengal and reach Kolkata tomorrow evening to pay my respect. She will be cremated will full state honours,” added the chief minister.

Last month, Mukhopadhyay had informed a senior official who called her from Delhi that she was not willing to be named as a Padma Shri recipient and felt “insulted” on being offered the award at her advanced age. The official had called Mukhopadhyay to seek her consent to be named a Padma Shri in the Republic Day awards list.

Mukhopadhyay had won the National Film Award in the Best Female Playback Singer category for her songs in the films ‘Jay Jayanti’ and ‘Nishi Padma’ in 1970. She received the Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian honour to be conferred in West Bengal, in 2011.