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Journalism of Courage
For the Assamese, Zubeen Garg was more than a singer- he was a lifeline, a voice that carried their joys and struggles for three decades. His tragic death has left a void, felt not only in Assam but among Assamese communities worldwide. In Pune, nearly 500 people gathered at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden to sing his songs and pay homage to the man they describe as “a God-like figure.”
Born in 1972 in Tura, Meghalaya, and raised in Assam, Zubeen Garg rose to fame in the early 1990s with his debut album Anamika. Over the next three decades, he became the voice of generations, delivering hits not just in Assamese but also in Hindi, Bengali and other languages. His 2005 Bollywood song ‘Ya Ali’ in the film Gangster made him a household name across India, but for Assamese people, his identity was much more intimate- a singer, composer, actor, and above all, a humanitarian who gave his life to his homeland.
Rajib Borkataki, president of ASOMI- the association of Assamese diaspora in Pune recalled his earliest memory of Garg’s music. “In 1993 or 1994, Zubeen came to Tezpur for a Bihu function (festival in Assam). It was raining heavily, but we still went after midnight just to hear him. His songs were so melodious, people couldn’t resist. He was contemporary, a youth icon, and above all, someone who always stood for Assam.”
Borkataki, who personally knew Garg and hosted him for a Pune concert in 2016, described his death as “a loss that is impossible to fill.” “I don’t think in our entire lifetime we’ll see someone like him who could write, compose, sing across genres, and still remain rooted to his people,” he told The Indian Express.
For many, Garg’s philanthropic spirit was as important as his music. Mousumi Bora, vice-president of ASOMI, remembered, “He was a great humanitarian. He never cared for money, accolades, or awards. Even when invited to Pune, he would say, ‘Just cover my musicians’ travel and I’ll perform.’ Every morning, people queued outside his home with medical prescriptions, and he would help quietly- “That was Zubeen.”
In Assam, Garg was not merely an artist but a social force. He lent his voice to causes like the anti-CAA protests, spoke against injustices, and used his concerts to fund education and healthcare for the underprivileged. “He had the guts to take a stand where others remained silent. None of his contemporaries matched that courage,” Borkataki added.
For younger fans like Mriganka- his music defined childhood. “I grew up listening to him on cassette tapes. His songs were always playing at family gatherings,” said Mriganka Raj Saharia, a 19-year-old student from Assam studying in Pune. “He always stood for the people of Assam and losing him feels like losing a part of ourselves.”
From Bollywood stardom to efforts to revive Assamese cinema, from devotional bhakti compositions to modern pop, Garg’s versatility made him unique. As Bora put it, “He was sent by God to teach us how one person could change society through music.”
For the Assamese in Pune and beyond, Garg’s passing is more than the loss of a musician. It is the silencing of a voice that carried their joys, sorrows, and struggles for three decades. “He lived like a king, and, as his fans say, left his abode like one too,” added Bora.
Zubeen Garg died on 19 September in Singapore following a tragic accident while swimming in the sea during a yacht outing. Rescue efforts were made: he was pulled from the water, given CPR, and rushed to Singapore General Hospital. Despite medical intervention, he was declared dead in the ICU, with the official cause of death being drowning.
