CM Samrat Choudhary Pays Tribute to Ghazal Legend Jagjit Singh
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary paid tribute to ghazal legend Jagjit Singh on his death anniversary on 10 October 2026, honouring the 'Ghazal Samrat' whose voice and artistry continue to resonate with music lovers across India.
Key Takeaways
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary posted a tribute to ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh on 10 October 2026 , his death anniversary.
Choudhary referred to Singh as 'Ghazal Samrat' — Emperor of Ghazal — acknowledging his unmatched stature in Indian music.
Jagjit Singh passed away on 10 October 2011 , and is remembered each year across India and the diaspora.
The tribute highlights the tradition of India's political leaders honouring cultural icons who shaped national memory.
On the death anniversary of ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary offered heartfelt tribute on Saturday, 10 October 2026, honouring the singer whose voice became a home for millions of hearts across generations.
Posting in Hindi, CM Choudhary wrote: 'Apni ghazalon se har dil mein ehsaas jagane wale Ghazal Samrat Jagjit Singh ji ki punyatithi par unhe koti-koti naman.' — 'On the death anniversary of Ghazal Samrat Jagjit Singh, who awakened feeling in every heart through his ghazals, I bow to him a million times. The sweetness in his voice and the depth of his ghazals will forever live on in the hearts of music lovers.'
Jagjit Singh, widely celebrated as the 'Ghazal Samrat' — Emperor of Ghazal — transformed an art form that had long been considered an elite, Urdu-literary pursuit into something every listener could feel in their bones. His recordings brought the ghazal into drawing rooms, late-night solitude, and road trips across the subcontinent, making him one of the most beloved voices in Indian music history. He passed away on 10 October 2011, and each year his death anniversary draws tributes from across the country and the diaspora.
CM Choudhary's homage reflects a wider tradition of India's political leadership pausing to acknowledge the artists and poets who shaped the nation's cultural memory — a reminder that music, like governance, is ultimately about reaching people where they live.
Point of View
Positioning political figures as custodians of national artistic memory. Jagjit Singh's universal appeal — crossing linguistic, class, and regional lines — makes him a figure whom leaders across the spectrum invoke without political risk. The gesture is ceremonial, but it signals how cultural soft power remains a deliberate thread in political communication. Singh's enduring popularity also speaks to the ghazal form's remarkable resilience in the streaming era.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Jagjit Singh pass away?
Jagjit Singh passed away on 10 October 2011 . His death anniversary is observed each year on this date.
Why is Jagjit Singh called 'Ghazal Samrat'?
Jagjit Singh is called 'Ghazal Samrat' — meaning Emperor of Ghazal — because he popularised the ghazal form for mainstream Indian audiences, making it accessible far beyond classical and literary circles through his distinctive, emotive voice.
What did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary say about Jagjit Singh?
CM Choudhary offered 'koti-koti naman' — a million salutations — to Jagjit Singh, saying the sweetness of his voice and the depth of his ghazals will forever live on in the hearts of music lovers.
Who is Samrat Choudhary?
Samrat Choudhary is the Chief Minister of Bihar and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
What is Jagjit Singh's legacy in Indian music?
Jagjit Singh transformed the ghazal from an elite literary art form into a genre loved by millions across India and the diaspora, leaving a vast catalogue of recordings that continue to be widely listened to decades after his passing.
