Pune, 23 September 2025: Zubeen Garg, the singer behind “Ya Ali” who shaped the memories of countless fans through his music and art, has left us unexpectedly, leaving the nation grappling with this immense loss. You’ve likely seen the large crowds gathered to pay their respects during his last rites shared across social media, which clearly shows that he was more than just a singer.
For the Assamese people, he was a lifeline and a voice that carried their joys and struggles for over three decades. His influence extended beyond Assam, reaching even to Pune where nearly 500 people gathered at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden to sing his songs and pay homage to a man many regard as “a God-like figure.”
His tragic passing has left a deep void felt not only in Assam but also among Assamese communities around the world. Zubeen Garg, sadly died on September 19, 2025, at 52 years old. The incident occurred during a sea outing in Singapore, where he was set to perform at the North East Festival. According to reports, Garg encountered breathing problems while swimming and was quickly given CPR before being taken to Singapore General Hospital. Despite extensive medical intervention, he passed away in the ICU.
Born in 1972 in Tura, Meghalaya, and raised in Assam, Zubeen Garg rose to fame in the early 1990s with his debut album Anamika. Over the next three decades, he became the voice of generations, delivering hits not just in Assamese but also in Hindi, Bengali and other languages. His 2005 Bollywood song ‘Ya Ali’ in the film Gangster made him a household name across India, but for Assamese people, his identity was much more intimate- a singer, composer, actor, and above all, a humanitarian who gave his life to his homeland.
Rajib Borkataki, who leads ASOMI, a group of Assamese individuals in Pune, who personally knew Garg and hosted him for a Pune concert in 2016, described his death as “a loss that is impossible to fill.” “I don’t think in our entire lifetime we’ll see someone like him who could write, compose, sing across genres, and still remain rooted to his people,” he told
The announcement of his unexpected passing has deeply impacted the music industry and the Assamese community, who saw him as a representative of their cultural identity. Due to public calls for clarity, the Assam government has mandated a second autopsy, set to occur at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.
