Sandesh Shandilya Reveals Jagjit Singh Performed At A Concert After Performing His Mother's Last Rites

Legendary ghazal singer late Jagjit Singh continues to have fans even today. The singer, despite leading a life filled with hardships, stood strong and was resilient. In a recent interview, music composer Sandesh Shandilya revealed how the singer opted to perform at a concert and fulfill his professional commitment even after he found out about his mother’s demise.

In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, music composer Sandesh Shandilya recalled the time when Jagjit Singh learned about his mother’s demise. Shandilya revealed that the singer was supposed to perform at a concert in Kolkata when he found out that his mother passed away. He said, “Jagjit ji was at the Mumbai airport. He was about to leave for Calcutta when he received a call. He told all his musicians at the airport to leave for Calcutta without him and that he would join them on stage later in the day. In the evening, he got on the stage and performed.”

Shandilya continued and said that the singer performed the last rites of his mother and then went to Kolkata for his show. He said, “When the performance was over, the organizer came crying to him and he stopped him. He told the organizer not to say a word. The call that he had received at the airport was to inform him of his mother’s demise. He went to Delhi from Mumbai, performed her last rites, and flew to Calcutta to do the show the same evening. He is the definition of an artiste.”

The Ghazal maestro’s life was filled with profound sorrow. In 1990, he lost his only son, Vivek Singh, in a car accident. His son was just 20 years old then. He had also welcomed his wife Chitra Singh’s daughter – Monica – from her previous marriage into their family. Their lives were further devastated in 2009 when Monica died by suicide. Following the death of their son, his music underwent a significant transformation, while Chitra chose to step away from her musical career entirely.

Singh is known for creating timeless classics such as Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar, Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya, Chithi Na Koi Sandesh, and Tumko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya, among several other songs. He breathed his last in October 2011.