Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 1, 2026: Padma Bhushan recipient Suman Kalyanpur, who is known for her songs in the Hindi and Marathi film industry, passed away at the age of 89, and was mourned nationally and by colleagues in the industry.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other ministers paid tribute to the veteran singer and remembered her contribution to Indian music.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari called the demise of Suman Kalyanpur “heartbreaking”, describing it as a “great loss to the Indian music world.”
“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 Bani Tithe’, ‘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,” wrote Gadkari on his X handle.
Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde paid tribute to the singer by calling her songs evergreen, which will “resonate in the firmament of Indian music.”
“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,” wrote Shinde on his X handle.
“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,” he continued.
He also remembered the singer’s contribution to devotional and film songs. “In Marathi sentimental songs, devotional songs, and film songs as well, she left an indelible mark with her singing. Not just in Marathi, but in Hindi, Gujarati, and Bengali languages too, she sang numerous compositions. In recognition of her boundless service to music, the Government of India honoured her in 2023 with the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award, one of the country’s highest civilian honours. 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…”
NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar called Suman Kalyanpur’s demise “heartbreaking”. He described her death as the end of the “era of gold in the realm of Indian classical and light music.”
“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,” Pawar said.
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.
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