Veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur passed away on Sunday night at the age of 89 following age-related ailments at her residence.
The last rites were performed at the Santacruz (Pawan Hans) crematorium in Mumbai on Monday, June 1. The Maharashtra government ordered that her funeral be conducted with full state honours in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to Indian music and cinema.
Her mortal remains were draped in the national flag. Mumbai Police personnel offered a ceremonial salute at a Santacruz auditorium before the final rites were performed by her daughter, Charu.
The farewell turned emotional as those gathered sang “Rahen Na Rahen Hum, Meheka Karenge” from the 1966 film ‘Mamta’ while the funeral pyre was lit.
Early life and career
Suman Kalyanpur was born as Suman Hemmadi on January 28, 1937 in Dhaka, in British India. Her father, Shankar Rao Hemmadi, served in a senior position at the Central Bank of India and was posted to Dhaka for a long period. In 1943, her family moved to Mumbai, where she received her musical training.
In a career spanning 35 years, she sang for most of the top music directors of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She left behind a rich musical legacy in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Bhojpuri and several other Indian languages.
Notable songs and comparisons
Suman Kalyanpur lent her vocals to timeless classics such as “Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche” and “Naa Naa Karte Pyar Tumhin Se Kar Baithe”. Her voice was often mistaken for that of Lata Mangeshkar.
Her voice was considered very similar to Lata Mangeshkar, which is why she was brought in as a replacement for Lata in the mid-1960s during the Rafi-Lata feud. She sang over 140 duets with Rafi during this period. Lata had refused to sing with Rafi over royalty issues, and those songs were recorded by Kalyanpur with Rafi.
In 2023, the Government of India honoured Suman Kalyanpur with the Padma Bhushan.
Political tributes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over her passing on X. He stated that Kalyanpur’s songs earned her a special place in the hearts of music lovers across generations and conveyed condolences to her family, friends and admirers.
Anguished by the passing of the popular singer Suman Kalyanpur Ji. Her melodious voice and soulful renditions enriched our cultural world. Through her songs, she created a special place among music lovers and admirers of Indian cinema. Condolences to her family and admirers. Om… pic.twitter.com/xCGswIq0s6
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 1, 2026
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari called her demise “heartbreaking”, describing it as a “great loss to the Indian music world.” He noted that she immortalised thousands of songs in Marathi, Hindi and many other languages. Popular Marathi songs like “Ketakichya Bani Tithe”, “Sang Kadhi Kalnar Tula” and “Nimbonyachya Jhadamaghe” were among those he specifically recalled.
NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar called her passing “extremely heartbreaking” and described her death as the end of a “golden era in Indian classical and light music.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute and noted that Kalyanpur made a significant contribution not only to Marathi music but also to Hindi, Bengali and Odia songs. He said her work in playback singing, devotional music and film songs significantly enriched India’s musical legacy.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also paid tribute, stating her voice would continue to resonate through generations.