Padma Bhushan Suman Kalyanpur, celebrated for her melodious voice in Hindi and Marathi cinema, passed away at the age of 89. The veteran singer's demise has drawn heartfelt tributes from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and other prominent leaders who remembered her immense contribution to Indian music.
Nitin Gadkari's Tribute
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari described the loss as "heartbreaking," calling it a "great loss to the Indian music world." In a post on X, he wrote, "The news of the passing of Padma Bhushan Suman Kalyanpur, the popular, legendary, and senior playback singer in the Indian music world, is extremely heartbreaking. My heartfelt tribute to her. Suman Kalyanpur's departure is a great loss to the Indian music world. In Marathi, Hindi, and many other languages, she immortalised thousands of songs with her voice. Popular Marathi songs like 'Ketakichya BTithe', 'Sang Kadhi Kalnar Tula', 'Nimbonyachya Jhadamaghe' in Sumanji's sweet voice are still on the lips of music lovers today. Her unparalleled contribution to the Indian music field is immense. May God grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to Sumanji's near and dear ones to recover from this sorrow. Om Shanti."
Eknath Shinde's Tribute
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde paid homage, calling her songs evergreen and stating they will "resonate in the firmament of Indian music." He wrote on X, "With her candid, pure, and sattvic notes that restored sanctity to music, the sad demise of the senior and supreme singer Suman Kalyanpur has snapped a melodious thread that connected two generations of music lovers. Through her voice, she expressed the emotions of many generations, gave words to love, melody to devotion, and the companionship of music to life's tender moments. With the strength of her gentle, pure, and emotionally resonant voice, she carved out a unique place for herself in the world of music." He added, "Over the past seven decades, she satiated connoisseurs with countless immortal songs. In the Hindi film industry, her many duets sung alongside Mohammed Rafi remain fresh in the memory of listeners even today. Songs like 'Na Tum Humen Jano' and 'Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche' further solidified the enchantment of her voice." Shinde also highlighted her contributions to devotional and film songs, noting her indelible mark in Marathi sentimental songs, devotional songs, and film songs. He mentioned her work in Hindi, Gujarati, and Bengali languages and recalled that the Government of India honored her with the Padma Bhushan in 2023. "Though she is no longer with us today, her voice remains eternal. Time will march on, generations will change, but Suman Kalyanpur's sweet, sattvic, and soul-touching voice will forever resonate in the firmament of Indian music. A heartfelt tribute..."
Sharad Pawar's Tribute
NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar called her demise "heartbreaking" and described it as the end of the "era of gold in the realm of Indian classical and light music." He wrote on X, "The news of the passing of veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur is extremely heartbreaking. With her sweet, melodious, and soul-stirring voice, she enriched the world of Indian music. Her immortal songs in Hindi, Marathi, and numerous other regional languages have reigned supreme over the emotional realms of generations. With her demise, an era of gold in the realm of Indian classical and light music has drawn the curtain. I offer my heartfelt tribute to her and extend my condolences to her family."
Career Highlights
Suman Kalyanpur lent her vocals to timeless classics such as 'Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche' and 'Naa Naa Karte Pyar Tumhin Se Kar Baithe'. Her voice was often mistaken for that of Lata Mangeshkar's. She also sang two duets with Mangeshkar before charting a successful career as a playback singer. Suman was honored with Padma Bhushan in 2023.
