The Assam government declared three days of state mourning on Saturday, 20 September 2025, following the death of singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore.
Chief Secretary Ravi Kota announced this in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He stated, “The Assam government expresses deep shock and sorrow at the passing of renowned singer, filmmaker, and cultural icon Shri Zubeen Garg.”
He further added, “State mourning has been declared from 20 to 22 September. During this period, there will be no official entertainment, dinners, or ceremonial functions.”
Zubeen Garg enjoyed superstar status in Assam, captivating the hearts of his fans. His father was a poet, his mother a singer, and his sister was also a singer. Tragically, Zubeen's sister died in a road accident while on her way to a concert. This loss deeply affected him, leading him to release an album in her memory that same year. He sang in over forty languages, including various North-Eastern languages, Hindi, English, Bengali, and Malayalam, establishing himself as Assam's most popular singer.
The ‘Ya Ali’ fame singer, Zubeen Garg, died in a scuba diving accident in Singapore on Friday. Sadly, his younger sister, Jongki Barthakur, also died in an accident 23 years ago. She was on her way to a concert in Assam's Sonitpur district when she was involved in a fatal road accident at the age of just 18.
Renowned writer Ashok Pandey wrote about Zubeen's death, stating that it was a huge blow to Indian music. In a Facebook post, he recounted his first encounter with Zubeen's music: “In 2006, Sanjay Jha's film ‘Strings: Bound by Faith’ was released. Somehow, I got hold of the music album. It contained a unique, modern composition – a powerful, youthful voice singing the extremely famous, intensely political ‘mantra kavita’ by Hindi poet Nagarjun. The singer's name was Zubeen Garg. I found out he was in his thirties, from Assam. The style of singing and the powerful voice captivated me. Later, I learned that he had also composed the music.”
T-Series, a music album production company, posted on X, expressing their grief at Zubeen's passing: “We mourn the loss of a musical legend, Zubeen Garg. You will forever live in our hearts.”
PETA India, an organisation fighting for animal rights and protection, paid tribute, stating that they will always remember Zubeen Garg as a friend, a hero for animals, and an inspiration. They extended their heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.
