How did Pankaj Udhas pass away? He died around 11 am of prolonged illness on 26 February 2024, and his daughter shared the tragic news due to cancer Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai via Instagram. Well-known musician Pankaj Udhas passed away at the age of 72. Pankaj Udhas Death News Updates: Legendary ghazal and playback singer Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after battling a prolonged illness. He was 72. “Pankaj sir was suffering from a prolonged illness and wasn’t keeping well the last few days. He died this morning around 11 am,” his team told The Indian Express. His funeral will be held tomorrow. A singer with a euphonious voice, Pankaj made his entry into the film industry with the song “Munne Ki Amma Yeh To Bata” in Bhappi Sonie’s Tum Haseen Main Jawaan (1970), alongside Kishore Kumar. His debut ghazal album Aahat, released in 1980, garnered significant attention, paving the way for numerous successful albums in the years to come. The track “Chithi Aayi Hai” from Mahesh Bhatt’s Naam (1986), composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, brought Pankaj Udhas widespread acclaim, solidifying his position as a Bollywood mainstay. He collaborated frequently with composers such as Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik and Anand-Milind, earning a place in the hearts of Indian music lovers. Born in Jetpur, Gujarat, as the youngest of three brothers, Pankaj drew inspiration for his ghazals from Begum Akhtar and Mehdi Hasan. He was also a fan of the English rock band Beatles and American singer Whitney Houston. Some of the chartbusters in his discography are “Na Kajre Ki Dhar,” “Chandi Jaisa Rang,” “Jiye toh jiye kaise,” and “Chupke Chupke Sakhiyon Se”. A notable anecdote involving Pankaj Udhas is how Bollywood’s Baadshah Shah Rukh Khan earned his first salary at one of the singer’s concerts. SRK worked as an usher and was paid Rs 50, which he used to travel to Agra by train.