Zubeen Garg

Zubeen Garg was born on 18 November 1972 in Tura, Meghalaya, into an Assamese Brahmin family. His father, Mohini Mohon Borthakur, was a magistrate and also a lyricist and poet who wrote as Kapil Thakur. His mother, Ily Borthakur, was a singer and actress. He was named after the conductor Zubin Mehta, and although his family name was Borthakur he later adopted Garg, the name of his gotra.

His father's transfers meant the family moved often, so he grew up in several towns across Assam. He started singing at three, taught first by his mother. His sister Jonkie Borthakur, also a singer and actress, died in a car accident in Sonitpur district in February 2002 while travelling to a stage show, and the sibling album Sishu, released in October 2002, was dedicated to her. His younger sister Palme Borthakur became an assistant professor of geography.

He attended Carmel School in Jorhat, Karimganj High School and Bijni Bandhab High School, and passed his matriculation from Tamulpur Higher Secondary School, Nalbari, in 1989. He studied higher secondary science at Jagannath Barooah College in Jorhat and in 1991 began a BSc at B. Borooah College in Guwahati, but left to focus on music.

His musical training came from his mother, from Pandit Robin Banerjee, with whom he studied tabla for 11 years, and from Guru Ramani Rai, who introduced him to Assamese folk music. He was composing songs while still at school. In May 2024 the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Literature, and Cotton University awarded him a posthumous D.Litt. in December 2025.

Garg released his debut Assamese album Anamika in 1992 on NK Production, the same year he won a gold medal for a Western solo performance at a youth festival. Albums including Xopunor Xur, Junaki Mon, Maya and Asha followed, along with the successful Bihu album Ujan Piriti.

He moved to Mumbai in 1995 and released the Indipop album Chandni Raat, then a run of cover and remix albums and, in 1998, Yuhi Kabhi. He sang in Hindi films including Dil Se, Fiza and Kaante, and his biggest Bollywood success, "Ya Ali" from Gangster (2006), won him the Global Indian Film Award for best playback singer. In 2007 he sang "Jag Lal Lal Lal" with Ustad Sultan Khan for Big Brother and released the Hindi album Zindagi.

From 1997 he became a major voice in Bengali music too, starting with the album Surer Upahar and going on to film songs for Mon, Shudhu Tumi, Premi, Mon Mane Na and others. He sang in around 40 languages and dialects, worked with many of Assam's tribal communities on their folk songs, and described himself first of all as a folk singer. He was a fixture at Bihu functions across Assam for decades.

Garg made his debut as an actor and director with Tumi Mor Matho Mor (2000). His acting credits include Prem Aru Prem, Dinabandhu, Mon Jaai, Bhal Pabo Najanilu, Gaane Ki Aane, Mission China, Priyaar Priyo, The Underworld, Kanchanjangha, Rajneeti, Dr. Bezbaruah 2 and Sikaar. He also composed film scores, including the Hindi film Strings: Bound by Faith (2006), and won the National Film Award for best music direction in a non-feature film for Echoes of Silence.

He preferred realism and political themes, and his films often dealt with Assamese identity, youth, conflict and social change. Kanchanjangha took on corruption in public service recruitment. His final project, the musical Roi Roi Binale, with his story and music, was released after his death on 31 October 2025 and drew record crowds.

Garg met fashion designer Garima Saikia from Golaghat after she wrote to him praising his albums Anamika and Maya. They married on 4 February 2002. He called himself irreligious and said he had no caste or god. He loved football, played charity matches for flood victims, and admired Charlie Chaplin, whose image he had tattooed with the words "I can fall but never fail".

Garg was known for bold, outspoken statements on politics, religion and culture. Albums such as Xixhu and Mukti carried themes of dissent against the social and political elite, and his song "Politics Nokoriba Bandhu" (Don't do politics, my friend) became a protest anthem. He was one of the best known non-political figures in Assam's Anti-CAA protests. Answering critics who said he strayed from folk tradition, he said: "Art is all about freedom."

Garg is regarded as one of the most influential musicians in Assam's history, credited with modernising Assamese music while helping preserve traditional folk songs. A 20-foot statue of him was unveiled at Digboi in December 2022, and a bamboo bridge over the Na Dihing river was named after him in 2020. In 2026 a flowering plant, Osbeckia zubeengargiana, and a butterfly, Euthalia zubeengargi, were named in his honour. One fan in Guwahati, Vishal Kalita, is reported to have collected more than 35,000 cassettes and CDs of his recordings. After his death the Assam government announced memorials in Guwahati and Jorhat.

His honours include the Global Indian Film Award for best playback singer for "Ya Ali" (2006), the National Film Award for best music direction in a non-feature film for Echoes of Silence, recognition as guest artist of the year by the Assam Convention in Oak Brook, Illinois (2011), the Seuji-Seuji award for his poetry book (2017), an honorary Doctor of Literature from the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (2024), and a posthumous D.Litt. from Cotton University (2025).

In 2015 he waved a toy gun at an audience in Khanapara, Guwahati. In 2017 a court sentenced him to three months in jail and a fine of 5,000 rupees in a 2013 case in which he was accused of slapping a minor for smoking; his lawyers said they would appeal. In 2018 he drew criticism for telling athlete Hima Das to eat beef for strength. In 2019 a complaint was filed over a leaked audio clip criticising the timing of Bhupen Hazarika's posthumous Bharat Ratna, and he apologised the same year for a remark about Brahmins that he said was a joke. In April 2024 he was banned by the Majuli District Satra Mahasabha after saying on stage that Krishna was a man, not a god.

Garg was in Singapore for the North East India Festival when, on 19 September 2025, the day before his scheduled performance, he joined a yacht outing near Lazarus Island. Evidence later given at the coroner's inquiry said he had taken off one life jacket, declined a second, and became motionless while swimming back to the yacht. He was rescued and given CPR and was pronounced dead at Singapore General Hospital. The autopsy gave drowning as the cause, and toxicology found a high blood alcohol level.

Assam declared state mourning, his body lay in state at the Arjuna Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Guwahati, and he was cremated with full state honours and a 21-gun salute at Kamarkuchi, near Guwahati, on 23 September 2025. His ashes were taken to Jorhat for the Adyashraddha ceremony on 1 October and immersed in the Brahmaputra on 29 October 2025.

In Assam, a Special Investigation Team filed a charge sheet in December 2025 bringing murder and other charges against several people, including the festival organiser and his manager. These are allegations. In March 2026 Singapore's State Coroner ruled the death an accidental drowning with no evidence of foul play. Tributes came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mamata Banerjee, A. R. Rahman and many others, and his song "Mayabini Raatir Bukut", which he had asked to be played when he died, became Assam's song of mourning.