Punjabi Lyricist Nimma Loharka Passes Away At 48

Renowned Punjabi lyricist Nimma Loharka is no more. He passed away at the age of 48. According to a report by PTC News, his health had been deteriorating for the past several days. His last rites will

be performed in his native village. The news of his death has left the Punjabi music industry mourning. Nimma Loharka had penned songs for a number of celebrated singers including Diljit Dosanjh, Ravinder Grewal, Malkit Singh, Feroz Khan, Harbhajan Shera, Nachhatar Gill, Inderjit Nikku, Amrinder Gill, and others.

Lyricist Nimma Loharka Passes Away

Born as Nirmal Singh on March 24, 1977, Nimma hailed from Loharka village in Ajnala tehsil of Amritsar. His parents, Darshan Singh and Dalbir Kaur, belonged to a humble farming family. During his prolific career, Nimma penned over 500 songs and played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of more than 150 singers, including Diljit Dosanjh, Amrinder Gill, and Malkit Singh. He wrote the lyrics of Diljit Dosanjh’s songs ‘Gidha’, ‘Daka’, among others.

His heartfelt lyrics, such as “Dil ditta nai si thokran lawan vaste” and “Ki samjawan ehna nain kamleyan nu,” earned him widespread acclaim. Nimma Loharka is survived by his son, who is also a songwriter.

In recent years, Nimma had spoken about his financial struggles. He had shared that while he helped many artists achieve popularity, only a few stood by him when he was struggling. He had also expressed disappointment about the industry forgetting the very people who build it.

Nimma had one revealed that he developed an interest in songwriting when he was in the 4^th grade. Though he never received formal artistic training, since he came from a farming family, Nimma was influenced by his grandfather’s love for Punjabi folktales. In class 10, he wrote his first acclaimed song for a religious play at his school. The song was titled ‘Nankane Vall Jande Rahiyo’, and it gained popularity.

He moved to Ludhiana in 1994 to learn music. He honed his skills over the years, and also spent time in Bharowal, the village of folk singer Didar Sandhu, which further helped him polish his skills. It was during this time that he adopted the name ‘Nimma Loharka’. While Nimma was his childhood nickname, Loharka was his village’s name.