India lost one of its most iconic voices today and with it’s loss the Mangeshkar sisters reunite in the afterlife. Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92 at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, where she had been admitted the previous evening following extreme exhaustion and a chest infection. As confirmed by the hospital and her family, she died due to multi-organ failure.
The outpouring of grief from across the country — from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to millions of fans — goes beyond just the loss of an artist; truly it is the end of an era.
Born Asha Mangeshkar on September 8, 1933, in Sangli, Maharashtra, she began singing professionally at just nine years old after the death of her father, the renowned classical musician Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar. What followed was one of the longest, most versatile careers in the history of world music.
The wealth behind the voice: What Asha Bhosle was worth
As per reports by Siasat.com and multiple entertainment publications, Asha Bhosle’s estimated net worth at the time of her passing stood at approximately Rs 80 to 100 crore – an impressive figure that the late singer built from decades of playback fees, live concerts performed globally well into her late eighties, brand associations, and a vast catalogue of music whose royalties she continued to receive.
According to Business Today, she expanded her legacy internationally through entrepreneurial ventures that went far beyond the recording studio. Among the most notable of these was her restaurant chain, Asha’s – Notably, she built outlets in Dubai and Kuwait, personally training the chefs and overseeing the kitchen and décor.
Her home is situated in Casa Grande, Lower Parel, Mumbai, where, as confirmed by her son Anand, fans will be able to pay their last respects on April 13 from 11 AM before her last rites at Shivaji Park at 4 PM.
Eight decades, 12,000 songs, and a legacy without parallel
As per the Guinness World Records — which officially acknowledged her in 2011 — Asha Bhosle was the most recorded artist in music history, having sung over 12,000 songs across more than 20 Indian and foreign languages.
Her collaborations with composer R D Burman, who later became her husband, produced some of Hindi cinema’s most unforgettable songs including ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’, ‘Dum Maro Dum’, ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne’ that continue to influence the zeitgeist even today.
Her accolades include the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000, the Padma Vibhushan in 2008, two National Film Awards for Best Playback Singer for ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai’ from ‘Umrao Jaan’ and ‘Mera Kuchh Saman’ from ‘Ijaazat’ and eight Filmfare Awards. She also earned a Grammy nomination in 1997 — the first ever for an Indian singer — for her album ‘Legacy’ with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
In 2021, She was honoured with the Maharashtra Bhushan by the Government of Maharashtra. She leaves behind her son Anand Bhosle and granddaughter Zanai Bhosle — an emerging singer who was by her side in her final years. What she also leaves behind is a body of work so vast and so human that it will, quite simply, never stop playing.
Disclaimer: The information has not been independently verified by Financial Express Lifestyle Desk. The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only.