Singer Zubeen Garg, Voice Of ‘Ya Ali,’ Dies At 52 In Singapore Diving Accident
Singer Zubeen Garg, Voice Of ‘Ya Ali,’ Dies At 52 In Singapore Diving Accident
Singapore/Assam, September 19, 2025: Popular playback singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg, best known for his chartbuster Ya Ali from the 2006 film Gangster, passed away on Friday following a scuba diving accident in Singapore. He was 52.
According to reports, Garg was participating in a diving activity when he fell unconscious in the sea. He was rescued and admitted to the ICU but succumbed during treatment. He was scheduled to perform at the North East Festival in Singapore later that day.
The news of his untimely demise was confirmed by Assam Cabinet Minister Ashok Singhal, who expressed grief on social media. “Assam has lost not just a voice, but a heartbeat. Zubeen da was more than a singer; he carried our culture, emotions, and spirit across the world. His passing leaves behind a void that can never be filled,” Singhal wrote.
Born in 1972 in Meghalaya, Zubeen Garg, originally named Zubeen Borthakur, adopted his stage surname “Garg” from his family gotra. He began his musical journey in the 1990s and went on to become one of Assam’s most celebrated singers. The success of Ya Ali brought him nationwide recognition, opening doors to Bollywood hits such as Subah Subah and Kya Raaz Hai.
Over his prolific career, Garg sang in more than 40 languages, including Assamese, Hindi, and Bengali, and was regarded as Assam’s highest-paid singer for several years. Fans and fellow artists across India are mourning the loss of a voice that inspired generations.
