Veteran singer Suman Kalyanpur dies at 89
What's the story
Veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur, who lent her voice to numerous Bollywood hits such as Na Na Karte and Tumne Pukara, passed away on Sunday evening at her home in Lokhandwala. She was 89 years old and had been suffering from age-related health issues for some time. Her demise was confirmed by Mangala Khadilkar, author of the acclaimed Marathi biography Suman Sugandh.
Final moments
Her last rites will be performed on Monday
Khadilkar told PTI, "Suman ji passed away at around 8:00pm at her residence in Lokhandwala due to old age. She passed away peacefully." "For the last few days she was listening to her own songs." The singer is survived by her daughter, Charu. Her last rites will be performed at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai between 11:30am and 12:00pm on Monday.
Career highlights
She rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s
Kalyanpur rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s with her soulful voice. She was able to carve out a distinct identity for herself, even when compared to contemporary singers, such as Lata Mangeshkar. Some of her popular songs include Aajkal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche, Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhin Se, Tumne Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aaye, and more. She was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
Musical legacy
Kalyanpur was a versatile singer
Kalyanpur was a versatile singer who sang in multiple languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Assamese, Kannada, Bengali, and Oriya. She also lent her voice to devotional songs, ghazals, and thumris. Despite the constant comparisons to Mangeshkar's voice, Kalyanpur always dismissed them. In a 2022 interview with PTI, she called Mangeshkar a dear friend. "Everyone loved her songs, and she will be immortal." May she rest in peace.