Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 19 (ANI): A year after the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, hundreds of fans gathered at Zubeen Khetra in Sonapur on Saturday to remember the music icon on his first death anniversary.
Members of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), along with fans, family members and artistes, gathered at the temporary memorial site on the outskirts of Guwahati. People sang some of Garg’s most popular songs and paid tribute to the singer.
Speaking to ANI, AASU Chief Advisor Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya said the gathering was a way to remember Garg and also called for justice in connection with his death.
“Today we are here to pay our respects to Zubeen Garg. One year has passed since the unexpected incident…Zubeen Garg must get justice,” he said.
President of AASU Utpal Sarma added, "Today was the day when Zubeen Garg passed away...his creations will be celebrated throughout Assam. The generation that will come years from now must know that there was an artist called Zubeen Garg who, when rhinos were being poached in Assam, turned his bihu stages into a place of protest."
"When, in the mid-COVID, people were afraid to go out, there was an artist called Zubeen Garg who offered one of his houses to be built as a quarantine centre. So that legacy, that humanitarian thought of Zubeen Garg, must be carried forward, and we thoroughly believe that the people of Assam, the younger generation, will celebrate his legacy, his art, and his creations through the ages."
The Assam government has also organised a three-day programme through its Cultural Affairs Department to remember the singer. The programme began on Thursday and will conclude on Saturday.
Zubeen Garg died in Singapore on September 19, 2025, a day before he was supposed to perform at the Northeast India Festival.
Known for his work as a singer, composer and musician, Garg had recorded thousands of songs in several languages. He became widely known outside Assam with the song “Ya Ali” from the 2006 Hindi film ‘Gangster,’ which starred Kangana Ranaut.
Garg remained closely connected to Assamese music and culture throughout his career. His songs also brought together traditional Assamese sounds with modern music, making him one of the most recognised voices from the Northeast. (ANI)
A year after Zubeen Garg’s death, fans gather at Sonapur Memorial to remember singer
