Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle attends a press conference in Mumbai on Aug 8, 2023, to announce her 90th Live concert in Dubai. (File photo: AFP/Sujit Jaiswal)

Legendary Indian singer Asha Bhosle dies aged 92

Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven-decade career.

· CNA · Join

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

MUMBAI: Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, died on Sunday (Apr 12) in Mumbai aged 92, her family said.

Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital where she was admitted with complaints of "extreme exhaustion" and chest infection.

"My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai," her son Anand Bhosle told reporters.

Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven-decade career.

CNA Games

Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time

Buzzword
Create words using the given letters

Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser

Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge

Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" by her death.

"Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world," he said in a post on X.

"She will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people's lives."

Born on Sep 8, 1933 to a musical family, Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father's death.

Often compared to Mangeshkar - revered as "India's nightingale" who died in 2022 - Bhosle forged her own path, embracing genres from pop to folk.

Her early life was marked by struggle, including a turbulent marriage at 16.

She went on to become one of Indian cinema's most versatile and celebrated voices, receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and earning two Grammy nominations.

Bhosle continued collaborating with global artists well into her later years, including a recent feature on British virtual band Gorillaz's album The Mountain (Parvat).

Beyond music, she nurtured her passion for food, launching her Asha's restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain.

Source: AFP/dy(nh)

Newsletter

Morning Brief

Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief

An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here