Popular Assamese Singer Zubeen Garg Passed Away in Singapore

Popular Assamese Singer Zubeen Garg Passed Away in Singapore

Zubeen Garg Passed Away – Why in News?

Recently, popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg passed away on 19 September 2025 in Singapore during a scuba diving accident. He was remembered as a cultural icon of Assam. His sudden demise has left a deep void in the world of music and among countless admirers.

The Voice of Assam: Zubeen Garg Passed Away

• • About: Zubeen Garg was a renowned Indian singer, composer, actor, filmmaker, and cultural icon from Assam. He was a singer, composer, actor, filmmaker, lyricist, and social activist who shaped modern Assamese music and also gained recognition in Bollywood. His career spanned more than three decades, and his work carried the spirit of Assamese identity to the world.

• Early Life: Zubeen was born on 18 November 1972 in Tura, Meghalaya. His childhood was deeply influenced by art and literature because his parents were both connected with music and writing. From the age of three he started to sing at home and by school years he was already learning instruments.

• Family: Zubeen’s father Mohini Mohon Borthakur worked as a magistrate in the Assam Civil Service but he was also a poet and lyricist who wrote under the name Kapil Thakur. His mother Ily Borthakur was a singer and his first teacher in music. Zubeen had a sister Jonkie Borthakur who was also a singer and actress but she died in a road accident in 2002. Zubeen married Garima Saikia, a fashion designer from Assam, in 2002.

• Education: Zubeen studied in Tamulpur Higher Secondary School where he completed his matriculation. He later moved to Karimganj College for higher secondary studies in science between 1990 and 1992. He then joined B. Borooah College in Guwahati for a Bachelor of Science program but he did not complete the degree. 

• Music Training: He trained in tabla for eleven years under Pandit Robin Banerjee. He also learned Assamese folk forms from Guru Ramani Rai. This balance of formal education and artistic training gave him a strong base to experiment in different genres later.

• Popular Names: His birth name was Zubeen Borthakur. His parents named him after the world famous conductor Zubin Mehta as a sign of admiration for global music. Later he adopted the surname Garg as a cultural identity connected with his Brahmin gotra. He was called Luit Kontho because his voice was compared to the mighty river Brahmaputra. People also called him Heartthrob of Assam and Zubeen Da. 

Singing Career of Zubeen Garg

• Zubeen Garg started his professional music journey in the early 1990s. His first album Anamika was released in 1992 and it became a milestone in Assamese modern music.  
• After the success of his early albums he started to sing in Bengali and Hindi albums as well. His Hindi album Chandni Raat in the mid 1990s gave him entry into the larger Indian music market. 
• He also recorded songs in Nepali, Bodo, and other languages of the Northeast and by the late 1990s he had become the most popular young singer from Assam.
• He entered playback singing in Hindi films in the late 1990s but recognition came in 2006. He sang the song Ya Ali for the film Gangster. The song became a nationwide sensation. Later, he recorded songs for films like Faltu, Krrish and Chup Chup Ke.
• He released hit Assamese albums like Zubeenor Gaan and Xixhu. He recorded more than 18,000 songs in different languages during his career. He sings in over 40 languages. 
• He composed and sang for Assamese films like Mission China in 2017 and Kanchanjangha in 2019. These films broke box office records in Assam and the songs became instant hits.
• He also sang devotional, patriotic, and folk songs. He released his first Bihu album “Ujan Piriti” which was a commercial success. His Bihu songs became a special part of Assamese festivals.

Important Facts about Zubeen Garg

• Talent: Zubeen learned instruments from a young age. He played the tabla for more than eleven years under the guidance of Pandit Robin Banerjee. He also mastered guitar, harmonium, mandolin, keyboard, dhol, khol, and drums. He effortlessly blended Assamese folk and Bihu rhythms with rock, blues, sufi, Hindustani classical, and Bollywood pop.

• Social Work: He gave large donations during Assam floods almost every year. In 2019 he contributed funds for flood relief camps and also performed in charity concerts to raise more help. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he supported poor families by sending food and medical supplies. He created the Zubeen Garg Foundation to carry out social work in areas like healthcare and cultural preservation. The Kalaguru Artiste Foundation operates as a cultural and relief organization.

• Literacy Work: Zubeen always encouraged young people to complete studies along with following dreams in music or sports. He donated books and financial help to many libraries in rural Assam. He also started scholarships for poor but talented students. He supported cultural literacy by promoting Assamese language and literature in his songs and speeches.

• Political Engagement: Zubeen never joined any political party formally but he remained active in political debates. He spoke openly during the Anti-CAA movement in Assam in 2019 and 2020. He joined protests and sang songs for the crowds as a form of cultural resistance. He promoted peace and unity and urged youth to remain disciplined in protests.

• Awards: Zubeen received many awards for his music and cultural work. He won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 2007 for the film Echoes of Silence. He also received the Global Indian Music Award for his contribution to regional music. The Government of Assam honored him with Asom Ratna and other state awards. He won several Filmfare Awards (East) for his playback singing.

• Recognition: In recognition of his contributions, a 20-foot statue of Zubeen Garg was unveiled on 2 December 2022 during the Nazirating Tamuli Tourism Festival in Digboi. Also, a bamboo bridge across the Na Dihing river, constructed by villagers in Tengapani, was named in his honor and inaugurated by Zubeen on 29 February 2020.

Death and Tributes

• On 19 September 2025, Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore at the age of 52. He was swimming in the sea without a life jacket when the accident happened. Medical staff immediately administered CPR and he was rushed to Singapore General Hospital. Despite their efforts, he was declared dead.
• On 22 September 2025, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that Zubeen would be cremated on 23 September at Kamarkuchi NC village near Guwahati. 
• Leaders and artists from the film and music industries also expressed sorrow. Assamese singer Papon called the loss like losing a brother and said Zubeen was “the voice of a generation.”
• On 21 September 2025, a 30-second silence was observed at the trailer launch of Raghu Dakat in Kolkata, coinciding with actor Dev’s 20 years in Tollywood.