Renowned classical singer and three-time Padma awardee Prabha Atre passed away due to a cardiac arrest on Saturday, 13 January. She was 92. According to reports, the veteran singer was travelling to Mumbai to participate in a programme on the same day.
Atre was reportedly rushed to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune; however, the singer passed away before arriving at the hospital as her health deteriorated.
Born on 13 September 1932, Atre began singing at a very young age. She began her career as a singing stage actor and went on to play roles in a line-up of Marathi theatre classics like Sanshay-Kallol, Maanaapamaan, Saubhadra, and Vidyaharan.
Atre specialises in different musical genres like Thumri, Ghazal, Geet, Khyal, and Natyasangeet, among others.
In 2022, Atre was awarded a Padma Vibhushan and was also felicitated with the Atal Sanskriti Award by the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, on 25 December 2023. Prior to that, Atre had received a Padma Shri in 1990, a Padma Bhushan in 2002, and a Padma Vibhushan in 2022.
As per reports, Atre's last rites will be performed in Pune on Tuesday after her relatives abroad return to India.