Singer Known for Songs in Numerous Movies Dies in Scuba Accident: Zubeen Garg Was 52

Indian singer Zubeen Garg has died. He was 52.

The musician, composer, actor, and director released songs in over 40 languages over his 33-year career. He was set to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore just this past weekend until his untimely death from drowning after complications from a scuba diving accident.

Garg was primarily a pop and rock artist. He is best known for the worldwide hit “Ya Ali,” which was featured on the soundtrack of the 2006 Bollywood movie Gangster.

He was born in 1972 in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. He released his debut album Anamika in 1992 at 19 years old, but never expected his career would take off to international fame. In 2012, he told a television interviewer that he was still surprised at the success of “Ya Ali.”

“I didn’t know it would become so big,” he said. “It was good for me, too.”

Two days ago, hundreds of thousands of fans gathered in Guwahati City, Assam in India to mourn his passing, where he was buried with state honors and received a 21-gun salute. Assam declared the entire region would be under three days of mourning following his passing, with many famous figures and politicians publicly honoring him, including Prime Minster Narenda Modi.