By Aveek Banerjee,News18
Copyright news18
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg’s death was confirmed to be due to drowning while swimming in Singapore, as per the death certificate issued in the country.
Zubeen’s untimely demise plunged the state of Assam and the music industry in grief. Thousands of his fans turned up at the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati on Sunday to catch one last glimpse of the icon as his mortal remains were kept at the stadium in a glass casket.
The Assam Cabinet also convened on Sunday by observing a minute of silence for Zubeen. His last rites will be performed at his village near Guwahati and he will be cremated with full state honours on September 23, said Sarma.
Thousands Of Fans Pay Respects
Thousands of Zubeen’s fans thronged the Sarusajai stadium since morning, and hundreds camped outside it overnight to pay their last respects. Many became inconsolable as they saw the lifeless face of their icon through the glass walls. “A sea of humanity, united in according a farewell to their favourite son. He lived like a king, he is being sent to the heavens like one,” said Sarma on X.
A sea of humanity, united in according a farewell to their favourite son.
He lived like a king, he is being sent to the heavens like one.#BelovedZubeen pic.twitter.com/Hcu3LcJKQp
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 21, 2025
Zubeen’s wife, Garima, thanked the fans for their overwhelming support, saying, “Had Zubeen been alive today, he would have been overwhelmed by this show of love. He cannot express himself in words anymore, and on his behalf, I thank each of you.”
As tributes poured in from all corners, with leaders, artists, and citizens mourning the loss, Zubeen’s body was flown to New Delhi from Singapore around midnight on Saturday. It reached Guwahati by another flight around 7 am on Sunday.
His body was taken to his residence in the Kahilipara area of the city, taking nearly six hours to cover the 25 km distance as thousands lined the route from the airport. The Assam government had declared three days of state mourning, from Saturday to Monday, and all official entertainment events, dinners, and ceremonial events have been cancelled during the mourning period.
While Garg primarily worked in Assamese, Bengali, and Hindi films and music, he had performed in over 40 languages and dialects, including Bishnupriya Manipuri, Adi, Boro, English, Goalpariya, Kannada, Karbi, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Mising, Nepali, Odia, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Tiwa.
