SINGAPORE — Popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, 52, died in a scuba diving accident in Singapore on Friday around 1:30 p.m. local time.
Zubeen was rescued from the sea by Singaporean police and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival despite swift efforts. He was in Singapore for the Northeast Festival organized by Guwahati-based Trends MMS, scheduled to perform that night.
Fans and artists expressed grief on social media. Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal wrote: “Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of our beloved Zubeen Garg.” Actor Adil Hussain posted: “Devastated and shocked… His contribution to Assamese music and culture is extraordinary.” Former Rajya Sabha MP Ripu Bora called him a “cultural icon” whose music inspired generations.
Born on November 18, 1972, in Tura, Meghalaya, to Mohini Mohon Borthakur and the late Ily Borthakur, Zubeen was named after conductor Zubin Mehta. A multifaceted talent—singer, songwriter, composer, lyricist, music director, producer, actor, director, screenwriter, poet, and philanthropist—he married fashion designer Garima Saikia in 2002 after she sent a fan letter inspired by his albums Anamika and Maya.
Zubeen recorded over 38,000 songs in more than 40 languages, blending Assamese folk and rock, and mastered 12 instruments including dhol, guitar, tabla, mandolin, and keyboard. Assam’s highest-paid singer, he mentored young artists and advocated for social causes through his Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, supporting flood relief, education, and youth empowerment.
He began singing at age three, trained under his mother and tabla guru Pandit Robin Banerjee for 11 years, and was introduced to Assamese folk by Guru Ramani Rai. He composed school songs, formed rock band “Boom Boom” in the late 1980s, and dropped out of B. Borooah College’s science program to pursue music. In 2002, he lost his sister Jongki Borthakur in a car accident and released album Xixhu in her memory; he has another sister, Palme Borthakur.
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