‘Pride of the hills’: Thousands in tears as Indian Idol star Prashant Tamang’s body arrives in Siliguri, funeral in Darjeeling

BJP MP from Darjeeling Raju Bista, GTA chief executive Anit Thapa were among the ones who reached Bagdogra airport to pay their last respect.

“It was because of Prashant Tamang that the Gorkhas came together. This loss can never be compensated. A boy from a middle-class family in the hills once won Indian Idol. Tamang was a bright star of the Gorkha community and it’s a huge loss for people of our community,” Bista said.

Darjeeling BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba said Tamang’s journey had united people across political and social divides. “His rise was a moment when the hills spoke in one voice. That legacy will endure,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Prashant Tamang Fan Club has also organised a memorial programme in the hills.

While Tamang’s musical success captured the nation’s imagination, it was his 2007 Indian Idol victory that left an indelible imprint on the socio-political history of the hills. Branded “Pahad Ka Gaurav” (Pride of the Hills), Tamang, then 25, captured the national imagination as a participant in the Indian Idol 3. So much so, that leaders associated with Subhas Ghising’s Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), including Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri, spearheaded campaigns in Tamang’s favour, organising rallies, raising funds and urging local residents to vote. His win in Indian Idol fuelled Gorkha pride.

“My brother resides in the hearts of the people of India. He will remain immortal through his melody and his songs,” Tamang’s sister Anupama Gurung said.

He is survived by his mother, sisters Archana and Anupama, and wife Geeta Thapa.

With inputs from PTI