Legendary Classical Singer Prabha Atre Passes Away at 91 in Pune

Renowned classical singer Prabha Atre, a stalwart of the Kirana Gharana, a prominent lineage in classical Indian music, has passed away at the age of 91 in Pune. The legendary artist, honored with the Padmashri (1990), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2022) awards, faced breathing difficulties, leading to her emergency admission to a private hospital on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, she suffered a cardiac arrest en route to the hospital. Prabha Atre was widely acclaimed for her mastery in performing khayals, thumris, ghazals, dadri, bhajans, and natyasangeet. Additionally, she was an accomplished author, having penned books on music composition titled ‘Swarangini’ and ‘Swaranjanee.’

Her significant contributions to music included the invention of new ragas such as ‘Apurva Kalyan,’ ‘Madhur Kauns,’ ‘Darbari Kauns,’ ‘Patdeep-Malhar,’ ‘Shiv Kali,’ ‘Tilang-Bhairav,’ and ‘Ravi Bhairav.’ Prabha Atre’s legacy extends to her compositions for dance recitals and musical-dramas, showcasing her versatile and profound impact on the world of Indian classical music.