Iconic Indian classical singer Girija Devi passed away at the age of 88 in Kolkata on Tuesday, 24 October.
Considered as the queen of Thumri and fondly called Appa ji, Girija Devi was admitted to the city’s BM Birla Heart Research Centre on the afternoon of 24 October due to cardiovascular ailments and was put on life support.
The legendary singer of the ‘Benaras gharana’ had received Padma Shri in 1972, Padma Bhushan in 1989 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016.
As the news of her demise spread, musicians, celebs and fans took to social media to express their condolences, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shubha Mudgal, Pankaj Udhas, Javed Akhtar, Lata Mangeshkar and many others took to Twitter to express shock and grief.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)