Newsbytes
  • India
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Auto
  • Lifestyle
  • Inspirational
  • Career
  • Bengaluru
  • Delhi
  • Mumbai
  • Videos
  • Visual Stories
  • Reviews
  • Phone Reviews
  • Fitness Bands Reviews
  • Speakers Reviews
  • Find Cricket Statistics
Hindi
More
In the news
Netflix
Cannes Film Festival
Marvel
Taylor Swift
Doctor Strange
KGF
BTS
Newsbytes
Hindi
Newsbytes
User Placeholder

Hi,

Logout


India
Business
World
Politics
Sports
Technology
Entertainment
Auto
Lifestyle
Inspirational
Career
Bengaluru
Delhi
Mumbai
Videos
Visual Stories
Reviews
Phone Reviews
Fitness Bands Reviews
Speakers Reviews
Find Cricket Statistics

More Links
  • Videos

Download Android App

Follow us on
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
 
Home / News / Entertainment News / Pandit Birju Maharaj, legendary Kathak dancer, no longer among us
Entertainment

Pandit Birju Maharaj, legendary Kathak dancer, no longer among us

Pandit Birju Maharaj, legendary Kathak dancer, no longer among us
Written by Shreya Mukherjee
Jan 17, 2022, 10:37 am 2 min read
Pandit Birju Maharaj, legendary Kathak dancer, no longer among us
Rest in peace, Pandit Birju Maharaj

Legendary Kathak dancer, Pandit Birju Maharaj, passed away in the early hours of Monday, his granddaughter Ragini Maharaj confirmed. He was 83. The veteran performer was at his home in Delhi, playing a game of antakshari when he suddenly fell ill late in the night. Maharaj is survived by five children—three daughters and two sons—and five grandchildren. May his soul rest in peace.

Details
Family suspects Maharaj had a cardiac arrest

Speaking to news portals, Ragini said, "He was with us when this happened. He had his dinner and we were playing antakshari because he loved old music." "He was lying down... and suddenly his breathing became uneven. We think it was cardiac arrest as he was also a heart patient." Maharaj had also been suffering from a kidney ailment and was undergoing dialysis treatment.

What happened
He died before reaching hospital in middle of night

As soon as Maharaj showed signs of uneasiness, he was taken to the hospital but died on the way there. "This happened between 12:15 and 12:30 am. It must have been just a minute or so. We rushed to the hospital but unfortunately, we could not save him," Ragini, who is also a Kathak dancer, said. The veteran would have turned 84 this February.

Quote
'He was laughing and smiling in his last moments'

Alongside Ragini, her younger sister Yasyashashwini and two of the Kathak maestro's disciples were present with him in his last moments, as per Maharaj's granddaughter. "He was laughing and smiling in his last moments," she added. As soon as the news broke, condolences poured in from all sections on social media. Netizens, along with noted celebrities, paid tribute to the legend.

Twitter Post
PM Narendra Modi called Maharaj's demise an 'irreparable loss'

भारतीय नृत्य कला को विश्वभर में विशिष्ट पहचान दिलाने वाले पंडित बिरजू महाराज जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। उनका जाना संपूर्ण कला जगत के लिए एक अपूरणीय क्षति है। शोक की इस घड़ी में मेरी संवेदनाएं उनके परिजनों और प्रशंसकों के साथ हैं। ओम शांति! pic.twitter.com/PtqDkoe8kd

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 17, 2022
Looking back
'Padma Vibhushan' recipient began to perform at age seven

Belonging to the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, Maharaj's first major solo performance was at Manmath Nath Ghosh celebrations in West Bengal, per his website. Starting from the tender age of seven, the Kathak exponent used to perform at musical conferences all over India. The Padma Vibhushan recipient later took on the world, performing in Russia, the US, Japan, Austria, France, Germany, and Italy.

Share this timeline
Facebook
Whatsapp
Twitter
Linkedin
Shreya Mukherjee
Shreya Mukherjee
Twitter
Shreya Mukherjee covers entertainment news for NewsBytes. She has previously worked with The New Indian Express as a sub-editor where she also contributed lifestyle and feature articles. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Calcutta and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi.
Latest
Narendra Modi
Related
Latest
New BMW 3 Series teaser reveals grille design and headlights
New BMW 3 Series teaser reveals grille design and headlights Auto
Xiaomi 12S Pro's specifications revealed in latest leak
Xiaomi 12S Pro's specifications revealed in latest leak Technology
Witness the power of museums this International Museum Day
Witness the power of museums this International Museum Day Lifestyle
5 anime films to watch on Amazon Prime Video
5 anime films to watch on Amazon Prime Video Entertainment
Apple releases new updates for iPhones, iPads: Details here
Apple releases new updates for iPhones, iPads: Details here Technology
Narendra Modi
Centre eases ban on wheat export: Here are more details
Centre eases ban on wheat export: Here are more details Business
Nepal: PM Modi arrives in Lumbini on Buddha Purnima
Nepal: PM Modi arrives in Lumbini on Buddha Purnima World
Tesla suspends India entry plan after impasse over lowering tariffs
Tesla suspends India entry plan after impasse over lowering tariffs Business
Tripura: Manik Saha sworn-in as new CM, development tops agenda
Tripura: Manik Saha sworn-in as new CM, development tops agenda Politics
Wheat exports: Minister responds to G7 nations' criticism on ban
Wheat exports: Minister responds to G7 nations' criticism on ban Business
More News
Related
Lucknow: Former UP CM Kalyan Singh passes away at 89
Lucknow: Former UP CM Kalyan Singh passes away at 89 Politics
Next News Article
Next News Article

Love Entertainment news?

Subscribe to stay updated.

Entertainment Thumbnail
India News Business News World News Politics News Sports News Technology News Entertainment News Auto News Lifestyle News Inspirational News
Career News Bengaluru News Delhi News Mumbai News Mukesh Ambani Indian Premier League (IPL) Karnataka Samsung Xiaomi West Bengal
Bihar Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma Haryana Narendra Modi Arvind Kejriwal Tamil Nadu Gujarat Yogi Adityanath YouTube
Instagram Hollywood News Uttar Pradesh Kerala Netflix Bollywood News Mamata Banerjee Maruti Suzuki Rahul Gandhi Elon Musk
Shah Rukh Khan Chelsea FC OPPO Akhilesh Yadav Indian Cricket Team Apple Manchester United Salman Khan Cryptocurrency OnePlus
Amitabh Bachchan ICC Women's World Cup Vivo India vs Sri Lanka
About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive IPL 2022 Schedule IPL 2022 Points Table Find Cricket Statistics
Follow us on
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Youtube
All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2022