Asha Bhosle, Singing Legend, Dies at 92

India’s singing legend Asha Bhosle has died. At the age of 92, she passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after a cardiac arrest. She had been admitted on Saturday evening after a chest infection. Today morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his social media to express concern about her health. He wrote, “Deeply concerned to hear that Asha Bhosle Ji has been admitted to hospital. Praying for her good health and a speedy recovery.”  ANI reported that Dr Pratit Samdani issued a statement of her death due to multi-organ failure. 

Asha Bhosle breathed her last today in Breach Candy Hospital. She passed away due to multi-organ failure: Dr Pratit Samdani, Breach Candy Hospital https://t.co/enJlEizboY

— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2026

One of the legends of Indian playback singing, Asha Bhosle began her career at the age of nine. The last rites will take place at the crematorium at Shivaji Park tomorrow at 4 pm. 

Asha Bhosle, the younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar enjoyed immense popularity as a playback singer in Bollywood. She started her singing career at the age of nine. After making her debut in 1943 in the Hindi film industry as a playback singer, she ruled in the 1950s. One of the most Westernized voices for her generation, she was sought after for the cabaret tracks. In her career, she won two National Film Awards. One of them was for the song, "Dil Cheez Kya Hai," from Umrao Jaan (1981) and "Mera Kuch Saaman," from Naseeruddin Shah-Rekha-Anuradha Patel starrer "Ijaazat," (1987). 

As reports came in of her being critical last evening, her grand-daughter Zanai Bhosle urged everyone not to spread rumors. She said that the family needed its privacy. She wrote on X, "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." 

Asha Bhosle's demise signals end of an era of Indian music. Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar and others gave millions of Indians song that will be forever classics. Narendra Modi said it was a sad day for the nation that lost its legend.

भारतातील सर्वात ख्यातनाम आणि अष्टपैलू आवाजांपैकी एक असलेल्या आशा भोसले जी यांच्या निधनाने अतिशय दुःख झाले. त्यांच्या अनेक दशकांच्या अद्वितीय संगीत प्रवासाने आपल्या सांस्कृतिक वारशाला समृद्ध केले आणि जगभरातील असंख्य लोकांच्या मनाला स्पर्श केला. भावपूर्ण गीतांपासून ते जोशपूर्ण… pic.twitter.com/JsjoxbdCCt

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 12, 2026

From 11 am tomorrow the mortal remains will be kept for those who want to pay their final respects. The cremation will take place with full state honors in Shivaji Park.