Legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj passes away

Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj died on Monday (August 17) following a cardiac arrest at his home in New Jersey, his daughter Durga Jasraj said. He was 90.

One of India’s greatest music legends, Pandit Jasraj leaves behind a storied legacy spanning almost eight decades.

“Bapuji is no more,” his daughter Durga, also a musician, told PTI over the phone from Mumbai. She was inconsolable and could not speak anymore.

Jasraj, who belonged to the Mewati Gharana, was in the US when the coronavirus-led lockdown happened and decided to stay back in that country.

“With profound grief, we inform that Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj ji breathed his last this morning at 5.15 EST due to a cardiac arrest at his home in New Jersey, USA,” a statement issued by his family said here.

“May Lord Krishna welcome him lovingly through the doors of heaven, where Pandit ji will now sing Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya exclusively just for his beloved Lord. We pray that his soul rests in eternal musical peace. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, Pandit Jasraj ji’s family, and the students of Mewati Gharana,” it said.