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Ludhiana: Jawanda succumbs to injuries, cremation in Jagraon on Oct 9
A pall of gloom descended on Pona village in Jagraon as the news of Jawanda’s demise reached; sarpanch Harpreet Singh said the villagers, who had been organising prayers for the well-being of the singer, were shattered by his demise
Popular Punjabi singer and actor Rajvir Jawanda died while undergoing treatment at Fortis Hospital, Mohali, after battling for life for nearly 11 days. The 35-year-old was declared dead at 10.55 am on Wednesday, hospital authorities said. The cremation will take place in his native village — Pona — in Jagraon tehsil of Ludhiana district at 11 am on Thursday.
Fortis Hospital mentioned in a statement that the singer was admitted on September 27 in an extremely critical condition following a road accident that caused severe spinal injuries and brain damage. “Despite extensive medical support and continuous monitoring by critical care and neurosurgery teams, he succumbed to multiple organ failure this morning,” the statement added.
The singer had suffered severe head and spinal injuries when his motorcycle collided with stray cattle that suddenly appeared on a road near Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, on September 27. According to doctors, Jawanda’s neurological condition remained critical, with minimal brain activity and no significant improvement despite intensive medical care. His condition was described as “extremely critical” soon after the mishap, and he had been on life support since admission.
A resident of Sector 71 in Mohali, Jawanda was widely loved for his hit songs, such as “Surname”, “Kamla”, “Mera Dil” and “Sardari”. He also made his mark in Punjabi cinema with roles in films, including, “Jind Jaan”, “Mindo Taseeldarni” and “Kaka Ji”.
Having begun his musical journey in 2014 with the single “Munda Like Me”, Jawanda quickly rose to fame for his soulful voice and lyrics celebrating Punjabi pride and culture. According to his official Apple Music biography, he had originally aspired to become a police officer but chose instead to follow his true calling — music.
The news of his untimely demise has left his fans and the Punjabi entertainment industry in deep shock and mourning. Celebrities, including Ammy Virk, Gippy Grewal, Neeru Bajwa, Sonam Bajwa, Binnu Dhillon, Tarsem Jassar, Karamjit Anmol, Ranjit Bawa and Harbi Sangha took to social media to share emotional tributes and memories of their late friend.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann mourned his death, calling Jawanda “a gifted son of Punjab whose melodies will live on forever.” Senior political figures, such as Partap Singh Bajwa, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Olympian-turned-politician Pargat Singh, also expressed condolences.
Punjab’s minister for cultural affairs Tarunpreet Singh Sond expressed sorrow. “With his melodious voice and soulful songs, Jawanda brought global recognition to Punjabi music and culture.” he said.
Fans gathered outside Fortis Hospital, many holding placards and playing his songs as a mark of respect.
Tributes poured in from across India and abroad, reflecting the depth of Jawanda’s influence on Punjabi culture.
A pall of gloom descended on Pona village as the news of Jawanda’s demise reached. Sarpanch Harpreet Singh said the villagers, who had been organising prayers for the well-being of the singer, were shattered by his demise. Shiv Kumar, a childhood friend, stated that though Rajvir had shifted to Mohali, he used to visit the village often. He had emotional attachment with the village and villagers.
Star night event cancelled at PAU
The district administration cancelled the star night event at the ongoing Saras Mela on Wednesday after Jawanda’s demise. “This cancellation is a mark of deep respect for the departed soul and to mourn the immense loss to the world of Punjabi music,” the administration stated.
Punjabi singers Gurnam Bhullar, Savitaj Brar, Prabh Bains, Asmeet Sehra and Kala Grewal were supposed to perform at Wednesday’s event. According to the district administration, these performances will now be conducted on another date. The date hasn’t been finalised yet.
The star night was also called off on Monday and Tuesday due to inclement weather as the concert area in PAU mela ground, which is hosting the fair, was submerged in water.
