Legendary folk singer Sharda Sinha, fondly known as the “Nightingale of Bihar,” passed away at the age of 72 on Tuesday evening. She breathed her last at 9:20 PM at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. According to AIIMS officials, Sinha succumbed to a refractory shock caused by septicemia.
Her son, Anshuman Sinha, confirmed the news through her official Instagram account and shared a picture of his mother.
“Your prayers and love will always remain with my mother. Chhathi Maiya has called her to herself. She is no longer with us in physical form,” Sinha wrote in Hindi.
Sinha had been admitted to AIIMS on October 27 and had remained under medical care for the past 11 days. As her condition worsened, she was shifted to the oncology ward, where her battle with multiple myeloma—a type of blood cancer—became increasingly difficult. Known for her soulful renditions that have become synonymous with the Chhath festival, she had been fighting the disease since 2018.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and paid tributes to the singer. “I am deeply saddened by the demise of renowned folk singer Sharda Sinha ji. Her Maithili and Bhojpuri folk songs have been very popular for the last several decades. The echo of her melodious songs associated with the great festival of faith, Chhath, will always remain. Her demise is an irreparable loss for the music world. My condolences are with her family and fans in this hour of grief. Om Shanti!” PM Modi posted on X.
Earlier, AIIMS confirmed that PM Modi is also in direct contact with her medical team, personally overseeing her treatment. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also condoled the demise of the renowned singer.
Sharda Sinha’s illustrious career, spanning from the 1970s, brought Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Hindi folk music to the national forefront. Her musical legacy, deeply rooted in regional culture, earned her the Padma Bhushan in 2018 and a National Film Award for her contributions to regional cinema.
(Inputs from ANI)