MUMBAI, India, April 12, 2026 (Net) – Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, died Sunday in Mumbai aged 92, her family said.
Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital where she was admit-ted with complaints of “extreme exhaustion” and chest infection.
“My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mum-bai,” her son Anand Bhosle told reporters.
Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven decade career.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by her death.
“Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched count-less hearts across the world,” he said in a post on X.
“She will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people’s lives.”
Born on September 8, 1933 to a musical family, Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sis-ter, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father’s death.
Often compared to Mangeshkar — revered as “India’s nightingale” who died in 2022 — Bhosle forged her own path, embracing genres from pop to folk.
Her early life was marked by struggle, including a turbulent marriage at 16.
She went on to become one of Indian cinema’s most versatile and celebrated voices, receiving the prestig-ious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and earning two Grammy nominations.
Bhosle continued collaborating with global artists well into her later years, including a recent feature on British virtual band Gorillaz’s album The Mountain (“Parvat”).
Beyond music, she nurtured her passion for food, launching her “Asha’s” restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain.
