Playback singer Manna Dey, whose legendary voice entertained many generations, died at a private hospital here in the early hours of Thursday. He was 94.
In a career that spanned 70 years, he sang more than 3,500 songs in 16 languages, including Kannada.
Sources at Narayana Hrudayalaya, where Mr. Dey was admitted in May for prolonged respiratory illness, said he breathed his last around 3.50 a.m. “He died owing to multi-organ failure,” they said.
The body was kept at Samsa Open Air Theatre, behind Ravindra Kalakshetra, till half past noon for admirers and well-wishers to pay their last respects. His body was later taken to the Hebbal crematorium, where the last rites were performed around 3.15 p.m.
Mr. Dey had made Bangalore his home for the past few years and stayed with his younger daughter at Kalyan Nagar in the east.
Though he had lived in Mumbai for more than 55 years, he had a special affection for Bangalore because this was where he married Sulochana.
On one occasion, he remembered the long walks he had had with his wife at Cubbon Park and Lalbagh.
“My association with Bangalore is 50 years old. My wife’s family lived here and I got married in Bangalore. Our marriage was solemnised at a ceremony held on Kenchappa Road. I used to love going to the Glass House at Lalbagh,” he recalled at a recent programme.
He has also sung many memorable songs in Kannada, the popular ones being Jayate Jayate Satyameva Jayate for the film Margadarshi and Kuhu kuhu for Kalavathi .
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently called on him in the city to present him with the Vishesh Maha Sangeet Samman. He was also the recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke award.