Assam’s beloved cultural icon and singer Zubeen Garg, often hailed as the “heartthrob of Assam,” passed away in Singapore on Friday following a tragic accident.
He was 52. His untimely demise has cast a deep pall of grief across Assam and the entire Northeast, leaving behind an emptiness that words struggle to capture.
“He was taken by God much ahead of time. He planned so much to do for the people, but his journey was cut short,” said his uncle, Manoj Borthakur, talking to The Statesman.
Born in Tura, Meghalaya, in 1972 and raised in Jorhat, Garg was named after the renowned conductor Zubin Mehta. Music ran in his veins from childhood, nurtured in a family where creativity and melody were part of daily life.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, he recorded over 38,000 songs in nearly 40 languages, his voice crossing genres, cultures, and generations.
He captured Assam’s imagination with his debut album ‘Anamika’ in 1992, a landmark in the state’s music scene. His rise to national stardom came with the haunting ‘Ya Ali’ from the 2006 Bollywood film ‘Gangster’, which became a nationwide anthem.
Yet, long before this breakthrough, Zubeen was already woven into Assam’s cultural fabric as an emotional companion, a conscience, and a voice that carried the heartbeat of the land.
Over the years, his artistry was recognised with honours, including the Global Indian Music Award, the Filmfare Award (East), multiple Prag Cine Awards, and the Assam State Film Award. Yet for his admirers, no accolade equalled the pride of calling him their own.
Also Read: Robo Shankar, Tamil actor and comedian known for ‘Maari’, passes away in Chennai
Beyond the stage, Zubeen was a humanitarian with a fierce social conscience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he converted his Guwahati residence into a care centre, providing shelter and medical support to patients. He championed the cause of tea garden workers, spoke for environmental conservation, and inspired young talent across the Northeast with his mentorship and generosity.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mourned him as the state’s truest cultural ambassador. “Today, Assam lost one of its favourite sons. Zubeen’s voice had an unmatched ability to energise people, and his music spoke directly to our minds and souls. He has left a void that will never be filled. Our future generations will remember him as a stalwart of Assam’s culture. That magical voice has forever gone silent. Tragic beyond words!” Sarma wrote on X.
শব্দ আজি নিজেই নিজত আবদ্ধ
Today Assam lost one of its favourite sons. I am in a loss of words to describe what Zubeen meant for Assam. He has gone too early, this was not an age to go.
Zubeen’s voice had an unmatched ability to energise people and his music spoke directly to…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 19, 2025
Across the region, tributes continue to pour in. Political leaders remember him as “the voice of Assam”. Fellow musicians describe him as a restless genius whose artistry defied boundaries.
Fans in towns and villages, meanwhile, sing his songs in unison, holding on to the melodies that shaped their lives.
Zubeen Garg’s passing has left Assam in stunned silence. But his music will continue to echo. His love songs, his protest ballads, his cries of longing and hope will flow like the Brahmaputra: unbroken, boundless, eternal. His life ended too soon. But his art remains immortal, a testament to the man who became the very heartbeat of his people