2025: Zubeen Garg’s death was Assam’s saddest day

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 23-12-2025

Zubeen Garg

Daulat Rahman/Guwahati

September 19, 2025, was one of the darkest and saddest days in the history of Assam. Zubeen Garg — the voice that became the anthem of a generation — passed away suddenly under mysterious circumstances in Singapore at the age of 52.

The death shook not only Assam but the fabric of Indian music. Zubeen was more than a singer: he was a cultural force, a storyteller, an identity for people whose voices had too often been sidelined in the broader narrative of Indian music.

Over his three-decade career, Zubeen created music that transcended linguistic, regional, and cultural barriers, singing in dozens of languages — from Assamese and Hindi to Bengali and beyond — and composing songs that became the heartbeat of countless lives. His work in Bollywood films like Gangster with the hit Ya Ali brought him pan-Indian recognition, yet his roots always remained deeply entrenched in Assamese soil.

Zubeen's death was much more than losing a voice. It was to lose a bridge between tradition and modernity — a musician whose voice carried both the soul of folk and the pulse of contemporary life. Social media and community reflections have captured this sentiment vividly: for many, his passing felt like the end of an era, not just the departure of an artist whose music was present in every celebration, every heartache, every memory.

From the moment the news of Zubeen's death in Singapore broke out on September 19 afternoon, the sea of humanity that waited patiently—day and night, in scorching heat, rain, and thunder for the arrival of the singer's mortal remains, and again for his cremation on September 23. His funeral became a monumental event, becoming the fourth-largest public gathering in the world, recognised by the Limca Book of Records. This speaks volumes about the depth of the singer's connection with the masses. People from every religion, language, caste, and ethnicity stood united in grief.

Never in recent memory has Assam witnessed such collective grief. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma aptly remarked that for the next fifty years, another Zubeen will not be born. The magnitude of sorrow surrounding his passing is unlikely to be seen again.

Zubeen’s enduring appeal came not merely from his extraordinary talent but from his humanity. He connected effortlessly with people of all ages and backgrounds—young and old, rich and poor. He never carried the airs of a celebrity. He travelled by rickshaw, cycled through narrow lanes, sipped tea at roadside stalls, and played cricket and football whenever he could. In a state long troubled by insurgency, ethnic conflicts and political tensions, his songs offered comfort, championing love, humanity, and kindness.

Zubeen helped countless people—many of whom he never met—and empathised deeply with those in distress. His love for animals and his vocal concern about rampant deforestation were integral to his identity.

Zubeen was also fearless. His blunt honesty sometimes ruffled feathers, but he never abandoned his principles. He famously defied the banned insurgency outfit ULFA’s diktat forbidding Hindi songs during cultural events like Bihu functions. ULFA later acknowledged Zubeen's cultural impact and mourned his death, stating that he had helped take Assam’s voice beyond its borders.

The singer also had difficult encounters with security forces during the peak of the ULFA's armed struggle for an independent Assam. He once remarked, “I was slapped by the Army and Police,” who had mistaken him for an ULFA sympathiser.

Beyond being a singer, composer, and musician, Zubeen became a leader during any moment of crisis in Assam. He was at the forefront of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019.

Zubeen’s musical journey began in 1992 at just nineteen with his groundbreaking Assamese cassette Anamika, which became an instant sensation. Over his three-decade career, he recorded more than 38,000 songs in over 38 languages and dialects. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, he played around twelve instruments—from the dhol to the guitar to the keyboard—with remarkable ease.

He also transformed the Assamese film industry, producing large-scale films such as Mission China and Kanchenjunga. Zubeen's last film, "Roi Roi Binale," (released after his death) became a historic blockbuster for Assamese cinema, earning over ₹33.30 crore in its first month, making it the highest-grossing Assamese film ever, breaking records and becoming a massive commercial and emotional success for fans as a tribute to the late star.

His contributions to Bengali music were equally significant. He served as music director and singer for Shudhu Tumi (2004), which won him the Best Music Director award. Songs like “Mon Mane Na” and “Piya Re Piya Re” cemented his popularity in Bengali cinema.

In the early 2000s, Zubeen moved to Mumbai and delivered Bollywood hits including “Ya Ali” (Gangster) and “Dilruba” (Namaste London). Despite fame, he returned to Assam disillusioned with the chaos of the industry, once declaring, “I don’t like chaos; it is just too much. In Assam, I will die like a king.”

His words proved prophetic. The millions who lined the streets for his final journey reflected his colossal stature. He had once even told his wife that his death would bring days of mourning—and the outpouring of grief that followed was unlike anything Assam had ever seen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “He will be remembered for his rich contribution to music. His renditions were very popular among people from all walks of life.”

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Still, his death remains a chasm that cannot simply be filled. Endings of eras are not marked by absence alone, but by the permanence of influence — by how deeply an artist has shaped the culture around them. In that sense, although Zubeen’s voice may have fallen silent, the era he defined continues to resonate.