Singer Zubeen Garg, best known for Ya Ali, has died after a freak scuba diving accident in Singapore on Friday. He was 52. The singer, who rose to fame in Assam in the 90s, became a household name nationally with the success of his song, Ya Ali, in 2006.

Singer Zubeen Garg dies

Assam Cabinet Minister Ashok Singhal confirmed the singer’s death on social media on Friday afternoon.

“Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of our beloved Zubeen Garg. Assam has lost not just a voice, but a heartbeat. Zubeen da was more than a singer, he was the pride of Assam and the nation, whose songs carried our culture, our emotions, and our spirit to every corner of the world,” the minister posted on Twitter (now X).

“In his music, generations found joy, solace, and identity. His passing leaves behind a void that can never be filled. Assam has lost its dearest son, and India has lost one of its finest cultural icons. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and countless fans. May his soul find eternal peace, and may his legacy continue to inspire forever. Om Shanti,” his tweet further read.

North East News reported that the singer was in Singapore taking part in scuba diving activity, when he fell into the sea. He was rescued and admitted to the ICU, where he later died. The singer was due to perform at the North East Festival in Singapore later today.

About Zubeen Garg

Born in 1972 in Meghalaya, Zubeen was an Assamese singer whose real name was Zubeen Borthakur. He adopted his stage name by replacing his last name with his gotra, Garg, in the 90s. In 2006, he sang Ya Ali from the film Gangster. The chartbuster’s success made him a nationwide success, leading to several Bollywood hits over the years, including Subah Subah and Kya Raaz Hai.

Zubeen primarily worked for and sang in the Assamese, Bengali and Hindi-language film and music industries, but sang in over 40 languages and dialects. He was reported to be Assam’s highest-paid singer for many years.