Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed condolences over the death of legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle, calling her one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known.
Asha Bhosle
passed away at the age of 92 after she was hospitalised at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital with a chest infection. With more than 12,000 songs that defined generations listening to Bollywood songs, Bhosle’s death marked the end of a vibrant era of Indian music.
Taking to X, PM Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by Bhosle’s passing and paid tribute to her extraordinary musical journey that spanned decades and inspired generations. He also recalled their interactions.
“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,” he said.
“I’ll always cherish the interactions I’ve had with her. My condolences to her family, admirers and music lovers. She will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people’s lives,” the PM added.
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… pic.twitter.com/SbFrzf1Meu
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 12, 2026
Asha Bhosle’s mortal remains will be kept at her residence from 11 am to 3 pm tomorrow. The last rites will take place at Shivaji Park at 4 pm. Following Bhosle’s passing, several Bollywood celebrities and artists expressed their condolences, saying Indian cinema has lost a legend.
While initial reports suggested a cardiac arrest, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle had earlier shared a different update. She wrote, “My grandmother, Asha Bhosle due to extreme exhaustion and suffering a chest infection has been admitted to hospital and we request you to value our privacy. Treatment is ongoing and hopefully everything will be well and we shall update you positively.”
Born on September 8, 1933, Asha Bhosle recorded thousands of songs across Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and Gujarati, earning honours like the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Vibhushan. Bhosle’s evergreen hits included ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko’, ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar‘, ‘Dum Maro Dum‘ and ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja‘ among others.
