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Lovers of music in India and across the world turned silent on Sunday when news emerged of the passing away of legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle. The 92-year-old passed away in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after a chest infection, exhaustion, and cardiac issues.
Before her demise, Asha defined an era of Indian music. She leaves behind a huge legacy of over 12,000 songs in several languages over eight decades. In fact, Bhosle will forever be remembered for delivering some of the country’s most timeless classics, such as Piya Tu Ab To Aaja, Dum Maro Dum, and Chhod Do Aanchal.
Now, as we bid adieu to ‘Asha Tai’ — she is being accorded state honours at her funeral — we take a closer look at the singer’s lasting legacy and the wealth she leaves behind.
Born in 1933 to the musical Mangeshkar family, Asha Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sister,
Lata Mangeshkar, after their father’s death.
With passing years, Asha was able to carve a niche of her own — away from the constant comparisons with her sister. While Lata was known for her poignant songs, Bhosle became associated with bold, jazzy, and cabaret-style numbers.
In the 1950s, Asha saw a meteoric rise in her career during her collaboration with composer OP Nayyar. In fact, she recounted in author Raju Bharatan’s book Asha Bhosle: A Musical Biography, that it was Nayyar who helped rid her of her “Lata phobia”.
Through the early 1950s, most music directors composed with Lata’s voice in mind. “In the case of most music directors, they would ask me to sing at a higher pitch and scale,” she recalled. However, Nayyar didn’t. “He used to point out that I had a very strong and smooth low register and also a very long breath. He would often use this quality, especially in the slow, sad and melancholic numbers,” she said in the book.
And the results resulted in some of the most memorable songs. Think Leke pehla pehla pyaar to Bahut shukriya badi meherbani.
She later worked closely with RD Burman, whom she later married. The two were together for 14 years until Burman died in 1994, a partnership that helped expand the range and experimentation in her singing.
In the following years, too, Asha kept up her singing and experimenting — she performed with artists from all over the world, including British band Gorillaz on their 2026 album The Mountain, which explored the themes of grief and mortality.
It is said that Asha Bhosle recorded over 12,000 songs in her decades-long career, earning her a steady stream of income as well as multiple awards and recognition in India, including the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour.
Apart from the musical legacy that Asha Bhosle leaves behind, she also leaves behind crores worth of assets. Her music earned her several crores of royalties, as did her live performances. She performed many live concerts in the United Kingdom, the USA, West Asia, and Asia and her shows were always sold out. The shows contributed to her immense wealth.
Some reports estimate that Asha Bhosle’s net worth in 2026 is estimated to be around Rs 100 crore, making her one of the richest female singers in the country. However, some reports suggest her total wealth could range between Rs 200–250 crore.
However, her singing wasn’t the only source of income. A food lover, she also opened a restaurant by her own name in Dubai in 2002, which has since then expanded across the globe, having outposts in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UK.
In a 2015 interview with the
BBC, Bhosle said, “I love cooking as much as I love singing. Cooking comes from the heart... It should be made with love, for others to enjoy, just like singing.”
And her restaurant was often visited by Indian and foreign celebrities. In 2021, Tom Cruise showed up at Asha’s for an early dinner after taking a break from the filming of his 2023 hit spy thriller Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1. As per the restaurant, Tom Cruise loved the Chicken Tikka Masala Curry so much that he ended up ordering another portion. Other international celebrities who visited Asha’s restaurant include Ed Sheeran in 2022, Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood in 2020, and American singer-songwriter Pink in 2023.
Asha also owned multiple properties in Mumbai and Pune, including her iconic residence, Prabhu Kunj, in the posh area of Peddar Road in South Mumbai. Reports suggest her real estate holdings alone were valued at Rs 80–100 crore.
After the news of her passing away broke on April 12, tributes poured in from every corner of the world. Politicians, businessmen, sportspersons, and other celebrities mourned the death of Asha Bhosle.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that her songs will “forever echo in the lives of billions of Indians”. Taking to X, Modi wrote, “Deeply saddened by the passing of Asha Bhosle Ji, one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known. Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world. Be it her soulful melodies or vibrant compositions, her voice carried timeless brilliance. I’ll always cherish the interactions I’ve had with her.”
Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, who shared a very close relationship with Asha, was seen in tears as he bid adieu to her. On X, he wrote, “A deeply sad day for India, and for music lovers across the world. For us, Asha Tai was family. Today, words feel too small for the loss we feel.”
With inputs from agencies
Before her demise, Asha defined an era of Indian music. She leaves behind a huge legacy of over 12,000 songs in several languages over eight decades. In fact, Bhosle will forever be remembered for delivering some of the country’s most timeless classics, such as Piya Tu Ab To Aaja, Dum Maro Dum, and Chhod Do Aanchal.
Now, as we bid adieu to ‘Asha Tai’ — she is being accorded state honours at her funeral — we take a closer look at the singer’s lasting legacy and the wealth she leaves behind.
Asha Bhosle’s musical legacy
Born in 1933 to the musical Mangeshkar family, Asha Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sister,
With passing years, Asha was able to carve a niche of her own — away from the constant comparisons with her sister. While Lata was known for her poignant songs, Bhosle became associated with bold, jazzy, and cabaret-style numbers.
In the 1950s, Asha saw a meteoric rise in her career during her collaboration with composer OP Nayyar. In fact, she recounted in author Raju Bharatan’s book Asha Bhosle: A Musical Biography, that it was Nayyar who helped rid her of her “Lata phobia”.
Through the early 1950s, most music directors composed with Lata’s voice in mind. “In the case of most music directors, they would ask me to sing at a higher pitch and scale,” she recalled. However, Nayyar didn’t. “He used to point out that I had a very strong and smooth low register and also a very long breath. He would often use this quality, especially in the slow, sad and melancholic numbers,” she said in the book.
And the results resulted in some of the most memorable songs. Think Leke pehla pehla pyaar to Bahut shukriya badi meherbani.
She later worked closely with RD Burman, whom she later married. The two were together for 14 years until Burman died in 1994, a partnership that helped expand the range and experimentation in her singing.
Workers decorate a vehicle with flowers for carrying the mortal remains of singing legend Asha Bhosle, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. PTI
In the following years, too, Asha kept up her singing and experimenting — she performed with artists from all over the world, including British band Gorillaz on their 2026 album The Mountain, which explored the themes of grief and mortality.
It is said that Asha Bhosle recorded over 12,000 songs in her decades-long career, earning her a steady stream of income as well as multiple awards and recognition in India, including the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour.
Asha Bhosle’s income and assets
Apart from the musical legacy that Asha Bhosle leaves behind, she also leaves behind crores worth of assets. Her music earned her several crores of royalties, as did her live performances. She performed many live concerts in the United Kingdom, the USA, West Asia, and Asia and her shows were always sold out. The shows contributed to her immense wealth.
Some reports estimate that Asha Bhosle’s net worth in 2026 is estimated to be around Rs 100 crore, making her one of the richest female singers in the country. However, some reports suggest her total wealth could range between Rs 200–250 crore.
However, her singing wasn’t the only source of income. A food lover, she also opened a restaurant by her own name in Dubai in 2002, which has since then expanded across the globe, having outposts in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UK.
In a 2015 interview with the
A teacher of Gurukul School of Art, makes a painting of late veteran singer Asha Bhosle, in Mumbai. PTI
And her restaurant was often visited by Indian and foreign celebrities. In 2021, Tom Cruise showed up at Asha’s for an early dinner after taking a break from the filming of his 2023 hit spy thriller Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1. As per the restaurant, Tom Cruise loved the Chicken Tikka Masala Curry so much that he ended up ordering another portion. Other international celebrities who visited Asha’s restaurant include Ed Sheeran in 2022, Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood in 2020, and American singer-songwriter Pink in 2023.
Asha also owned multiple properties in Mumbai and Pune, including her iconic residence, Prabhu Kunj, in the posh area of Peddar Road in South Mumbai. Reports suggest her real estate holdings alone were valued at Rs 80–100 crore.
Tributes galore for ‘Asha Tai’
After the news of her passing away broke on April 12, tributes poured in from every corner of the world. Politicians, businessmen, sportspersons, and other celebrities mourned the death of Asha Bhosle.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that her songs will “forever echo in the lives of billions of Indians”. Taking to X, Modi wrote, “Deeply saddened by the passing of Asha Bhosle Ji, one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known. Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world. Be it her soulful melodies or vibrant compositions, her voice carried timeless brilliance. I’ll always cherish the interactions I’ve had with her.”
Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali Tendulkar pay their respects to Indian singer Asha Bhosle, who died at 92, at her residence in Mumbai, India. Reuters
Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, who shared a very close relationship with Asha, was seen in tears as he bid adieu to her. On X, he wrote, “A deeply sad day for India, and for music lovers across the world. For us, Asha Tai was family. Today, words feel too small for the loss we feel.”
With inputs from agencies
