Chennai: Veteran singer SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away on September 25 at the age of 74 after battling with COVID-19 for more than one month.
Balasubrahmanyam death
In an official statement on Friday, MGM Healthcare in Chennai said that despite maximal life support measures, Balasubrahmanyam died of a cardio-respiratory arrest. He passed away on September 25 at around 1:04pm.
The singer had been admitted at MGM Healthcare since August 5 after he tested positive for coronavirus. He tested negative for Covid-19 on September 5.
He had shown mild symptoms of Covid-19 initially, and despite being advised home quarantine, had chosen to be admitted to the hospital for the health of his family. The singer had posted a video on his official Facebook page at the time, stating that he had chest congestion for a few days, along with cold and fever. About two weeks later, he was put on the ECMO support, a heart-lung assistance machine, after he had suffered a setback in his health.
Balasubrahmanyam’s final rites in Chennai
According to reports, the legendary playback singer’s mortal remains were taken to his farmhouse which is loacted on the outskirts of Chennai where he laid to rest on Saturday, September 26 at 10:30 am.
Celebrities pour condolences
As the news of demise of Balasubrahmanyam broke out, social medea was flooded with condolences messages. Common people to celebrities from the Indian film industry expressed their shock and heartbreak over his death. Acting legends including Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth, music maestro AR Rahman, singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle mourned his loss. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said with the demise of SP Balasubrahmanyam, our cultural world is a lot poorer.
Ironically, before he tested positive for coronavirus, singer S P Balasubrahmanyam had composed and sung a Tamil song to create awareness about the deadly pathogen.
Balasubrahmanyam had recorded over 40,000 songs in 16 languages over a period of five decades.
SPB’s demise has created a void in the world of music that can never be filled again!