Legendary Bengali singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay dies at 90

Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, the famed Bengali singer, died at the age of 90 on Tuesday evening at a city hospital after a 19-day fight. The singer was first taken to the SSKM hospital with a leg injury on January 27. She was sent to a private hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 after complaining of dyspnea.

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, expressed her condolences by stating that Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, the famous musician and eternal singer, died today, and she is terribly upset. Today in Kolkata, she breathed her last at the age of 90. Banerjee continued by saying that Mukhopadhyay enthralled audiences for decades with her unmistakable vocal magic. Many of her songs have remained in the hearts of music fans.

In 2011, she was awarded the Bangabibhushan by the West Bengal government, followed by the Sangeet Mahasamman in 2012 and the Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Special Sangeet Samman in 2015. She has also won numerous awards, including the Bharat Nirman Award, the National Film Award, and the BFJA Award, among others. Until her death, she was also the President of the West Bengal State Music Academy.

She was a pupil of classical music icon Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and was born and raised in Kolkata. She began her career in Bollywood as a classically trained musician, singing in 17 Hindi films. She later returned to Kolkata and married poet Shyamal Gupta in 1966, who penned many of her songs' lyrics.

Mukhopadhyay has won numerous honours throughout her career, including the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer.

She had refused to accept the Padma Shri award on January 25, only days before she was sent to the hospital. She had called the award's decision "insulting and humiliating," claiming that it had come too late for her and that a junior would be more deserving.

Ei Path Jodi Na Shes Hoy, Madhumalati Dake Aay, E Shudhu Gaaner Din, Ghum Ghum Chand Jhikimiki Tara, and Gaane Mor Kon Indradhanu are only a few of her songs that are still popular among music fans.