Veteran Marathi singer Arun Date dies at 84

Date was the first recipient of the state government’s ‘Gajananrav Vatave Puraskar’

Veteran Marathi singer Arun Date, known for his popular song “Shukratara”, died at his Mumbai residence on Sunday. He was 84. The singer was not keeping owing to age-related health issues and died at his residence around 6am, his son Arun said.

Atul Date, son of late Arun Date, holds his father’s photo outside Sion crematorium on Sunday. (Pratik Chorge)

Arun Date was the first recipient of the state government’s ‘Gajananrav Vatave Puraskar’. His father, Ramubhaiyya Date, was also a well-known classical music connoisseur.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis offered condolences saying “in Date’s demise, we have lost a major singer.”

A statement issued by Fadnavis read: “Date holds a special position in the minds of Marathi people. His contribution in popularising the Marathi bhavgeet is immense.”

Several songs of Date are still popular among the people, he noted. “His soft and tender voice immortalised these songs. We have lost a shining star of our music industry,” Fadnavis added.

State culture minister Vinod Tawde, in his condolence message, said, “Date contributed to the Marathi music industry for more than 50 years. With his demise, there is going to be a vacuum in the music sector.”

Leader of Opposition in state assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and his counterpart in the state council, Dhananjay Munde, also offered their condolences on Date’s death.