‘He gave ghazal gayaki a unique global identity’

Papon remembered the singer not only for his artistry but also for his humility and grace. “Although I am far junior to him, he would unfailingly address me with ‘Aap’,” he said. “The chowk being named after him is not only an honour for him and the grace he represented in music but also for the entire music fraternity.”

MUMBAI: The city paid an emotional tribute to the late ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas on Sunday as the square opposite Sterling Apartments at Peddar Road was formally inaugurated as ‘Padma Bhushan Pankaj Udhas Chowk’ on the occasion of his 75th birth anniversary. The chowk was inaugurated by Maharashtra cabinet minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha in the presence of members of the Udhas family, artistes and admirers of the singer whose velvety voice helped bring ghazals into the mainstream.

(Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Among those present, along with Udhas’ wife Farida and daughters Nayaab and Reva, were veteran singers Hariharan, Sonu Nigam and Papon, and music composer-singer Salim Merchant. “He took ghazals to the common man; so many of them are still fondly remembered and sung,” Hariharan said, recalling how Pankaj Udhas had transformed the ghazal genre from an elite mehfil tradition into music that resonated across households and generations.

Papon remembered the singer not only for his artistry but also for his humility and grace. “Although I am far junior to him, he would unfailingly address me with ‘Aap’,” he said. “The chowk being named after him is not only an honour for him and the grace he represented in music but also for the entire music fraternity.”

Composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar’s son Adinath Mangeshkar recalled the close bond the Udhas family shared with the Mangeshkars over decades. “My first ever photograph is with my aunt Lata Mangeshkar holding me alongside Pankaj ji,” he said. “I was only 12 days old in that picture. I do not recall a single Ganesh festival without him coming over with family. Because of this bond, it feels special that the mural celebrating Lata Mangeshkar is barely hundred metres down the road.”

Sonu Nigam recalled listening to Pankaj Udhas when he was growing up. “My mother would play his songs which were a sensation when I was a child artiste, and I had learnt not only the lyrics but also the interlude music,” he said. “Years ago, when he invited me to sing at Khazana, a platform for young singers, I made it a point to sing all his ghazals.”

Significantly, the lane directly opposite the newly inaugurated chowk is linked to a deeply poignant chapter in the life of another ghazal maestro—it is named after Vivek Singh, the son of legendary ghazal duo Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh whose untimely death in a road accident in 1990 devastated the family and led to his mother withdrawing from music.

In a message read out at the event, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Pankaj Udhas’ “melodious, sensitive and distinctive voice” had enriched Indian music and given ghazal gayaki a unique global identity. He noted that songs such as ‘Chitthi aayi hai’ continue to resonate across generations. The CM also highlighted Udhas’ humanitarian work, including his support for cancer and thalassemia care initiatives, as well as his association with Khazana, the ghazal festival that has long blended music with philanthropy.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, Pankaj Udhas recorded over 50 albums and more than 1,000 songs, becoming one of the most recognisable voices in Indian ghazal music. Honoured with the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2025, he remained beloved not only for his music but also for his warmth and quiet generosity.

The ceremony concluded on a reflective and emotional note, with admirers remembering a singer whose voice, steeped in longing and tenderness, continues to echo over generations of listeners.