Girija Devi was a noted classical singer (Image courtesy: Padma Vibhushan Girija Devi)
Highlights
- Classical music has lost one of its most melodious voices: PM Modi
- Javed Akhtar and Pankaj Udhas also condoled her death
- Girijia Devi is survived by a daughter
Eminent classical singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Girija Devi died of a cardiac arrest at a Kolkata hospital on Tuesday night, news agency PTI reported. She was 88. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled her death and tweeted, "Saddened by demise of Girija Devi
ji. Indian classical music has lost one of its most melodious voices. My thoughts are with her admirers. Girija Devi
ji's music appealed across generations. Her pioneering efforts to popularise Indian classical music will always be remembered." Girija Devi was admitted to the CCU on Tuesday afternoon with cardiovascular ailments. She died at 8.45 pm. Girijia Devi is survived by a daughter.
Read PM Modi's tweets here.
Singer Lata Mangeshkar posted a picture of herself with Girija Devi and tweeted, "
Mahan shastriya aur thumri gayika Girija Devi
ji hamare bich nahi rahi ye sunke mujhe bahut dukh hua.Hamare unke bahut acche sambandh the."
Noted lyricist Javed Akhtar said that Girija Devi was a 'national treasure' and her death is a loss. "Girija Devi was not only a great classical singer but a national treasure too. We are poorer without her. Girija
ji,
aap ko mera salaam," he tweeted.
Singers Shubha Mudgal, Pankaj Udhas and Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee also paid tribute to Girija Devi.
Girija Devi, the legendary singer of the Benaras
gharana, had received Padma Shri in 1972, Padma Bhushan in 1989 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016. She was born in a village near Varanasi on May 8, 1929. She had performed widely across the country and abroad.
(With PTI inputs)