Banglapress Desk: Veteran Bengali singer Sandhya Mukherjee, also known as Sandhya Mukhopadhay, died after suffering a cardiac arrest on Tuesday.
The 90-year-old breathed her last at the Apollo Hospital in eastern Kolkata, according to media reports.
She suffered a massive cardiac arrest earlier in the day and despite extensive efforts to revive her, she passed away, hospital sources told the news agency PTI.
She was hospitalized due to complications brought on by the Covid-19 infection in the last week of January.
The award-winning singer made news recently after she turned down the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.
She refused to accept the award, saying that “it is more deserving of a junior artiste” and not someone of her stature, the NDTV reported.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while mourning the eminent singer’s death said that she had recovered from Covid-19 and was stable, reports The Indian Express.
“Yesterday, her condition deteriorated but we hadn’t thought that she would pass away. She led a disciplined life. Today we have lost a legend,” she said.
Her body will be kept at Rabindra Sadan on Wednesday for her admirers to pay their last respects, Mamata said.
The West Bengal chief minister further added: “I will cut short my trip to north Bengal and reach Kolkata tomorrow evening to pay my respect. She will be cremated will full state honours.”
BP/SM
