Bhubaneswar: Noted Bengali and Odia singer Nirmala Mishra passed away at her residence in Kolkata late night on Saturday. Mishra was 81.
According to reports, Mishra suffered a massive heart attack and succumbed at her home in Chetla area of Kolkata. She was declared dead at a private nursing home in the locality.
Mishra, 81, who lent her voice to songs in several Bengali and Odia films, had been battling old-age-related ailments for some time.
Born in 1938 in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, Mishra is a recipient of the Sangeet Sudhakar Balakrushna Das Award, which was conferred on the singer for her lifetime contribution to Odia music.
Her popular Bengali songs include Eamon Ekta Jhinuk’, Bolo to Arshi’ and Eai Banglar Mati Te’, while some of her hit Odia songs are ‘Nida Bhara Raati Madhu Jhara Janha’ and ‘Mo Mana Beena Ra Taare’.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed grief over the legendary singer’s demise.
The singer’s body will be taken to Rabindra Sadan around 11 am for her fans and admirers to pay their last respect, reports added.
“She was also popular as Nirmala Devi. Most people of Odisha know her as a daughter of the soil and an Odia, staying in Cuttack or Bhubaneswar! They do not even know she is Bengali and stays at Kolkata. A great singer with a voice full of emotions,” Mishra’s admirers in Odisha said.
