Veteran Indian singer Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday after a prolonged illness, his daughter Nayaab Udhas said. He was 73.

“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,” she said in an Instagram post on Monday.

He was renowned for singing ghazal – a short poem consisting of rhyming couplets – in India, with a fan base across the world.

“Pankaj sir was suffering from a prolonged illness and wasn’t keeping well the last few days. He died this morning around 11 am at Breach Candy hospital,” Pankaj’s representative told The Indian Express.

Pankaj was born on May 17, 1951, in Gujarat. He rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s and became one of the most popular ghazal singers in India.

Some of Pankaj’s most famous ghazals include Chitthi Aayi Hai, Aur Aahista Kijiye Baatein, Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai Tera, Mein Nashe Mein Hoon, Chupke Chupke, and Na Kajre Ki Dhar among others.

He received several awards and accolades for his contributions to music, including one of India’s highest civilian honours, Padma Shri, for his achievements in the field of art.