MUMBAI: On February 25, a Sunday, Pankaj Udhas passed away. The heartbreaking news was shared by his family on Monday, February 26. Singer Anup Jalota disclosed that the Ghazal star was battling cancer before his death, despite the family's claim that he passed away from a protracted illness. Anup said in a recent interview that Pankaj had been receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer for the previous two to three months.

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“People have lost Pankaj Udhas, but I have lost a very dear friend today. We were friends for 45 years. We used to spend beautiful evenings together. In those days, Pankaj, me, and Talat Aziz were famous. We would work together,” Anup Jalota revealed to the popular news portal.

“The man who helped so many cancer patients, himself died of cancer. That is life. He had pancreatic cancer. I knew this for the last 5 to 6 months, and he stopped talking to me in the last 2-3 months, so I realized that his health was not okay. I feel very sad that this illness took his life,” he added.

Pankaj Udhas' family released a statement on Monday announcing his death. The famous singer was seventy-two years old. “With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhar on February 26, 2024, due to a prolonged illness,” the announcement read. According to the family, the funeral will be held in Mumbai on Tuesday, February 27.

On May 17, 1951, Pankaj Udhas was born in Jetpur, Gujarat. In 1980, he began his career with the release of the ghazal album Aahat. He quickly came to be associated with ghazal music in India. The ghazal singer sang the famous song Chitthi Aayee Hai for Sanjay Dutt's movie Naam in Bollywood. Mahesh Bhatt directed the film. Everyone started crying as the song turned into a rage. Over the years, Pankaj hosted numerous live concerts and released numerous records, which increased his popularity. Pankaj Udhas was honored with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honor in India.

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Credit- News 18