Legendary Pandwani singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai passed away at AIIMS Raipur in Chhattisgarh at 3:15 am on Sunday, following a prolonged battle with severe lung infection, sepsis, and acute kidney injury. She had been receiving treatment at the hospital since 27 May, according to hospital officials. Her death has left family, fans, and the cultural world in mourning.

Family Speaks of an Irreplaceable Pillar

Venu Deshmukh, Teejan Bai's daughter-in-law, broke down while speaking to reporters, describing the legendary singer as the emotional and practical anchor of the household. 'Earlier, she was fine. She was the one who took care of and kept the family members together and, in fact, singlehandedly ran the family. She meant everything to us,' Deshmukh said. 'The entire family has broken down in grief,' she added.

Teejan Bai's younger sister offered a deeply poignant recollection, noting that the singer who had once carried her songs to 'lakhs of people' had not spoken for the last three years, communicating only through sign language. 'A lot of efforts were made to revive her and bring her back to normal life, but it seemed that she no longer wanted to live,' the sister said.

The Final Days at AIIMS Raipur

According to Deshmukh, Teejan Bai had initially shown signs of recovery after her admission but her condition worsened after she was shifted out of the ICU. 'She had been admitted to the hospital for more than a month. She had initially recovered, but after being shifted out of the ICU, her health deteriorated. She was not responding for the last two days, due to which all of us were worried,' Deshmukh recalled. Half the family had been maintaining a vigil at the hospital in her final hours.

Nation Pays Tribute

The news of Teejan Bai's passing drew an outpouring of grief from across the country. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah all paid tributes to the folk icon. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai personally visited AIIMS Raipur to pay his last respects upon learning of her death.

A Cultural Legacy That Will Endure

Teejan Bai is widely credited with bringing the ancient Pandwani tradition — a folk performance art rooted in the oral retelling of the Mahabharata — to national and international audiences. She was one of the first women to perform Pandwani in the Kapalik style, which involves standing performance, traditionally restricted to men. Her Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, reflected a career that spanned decades and crossed cultural boundaries. Her passing marks the end of an era for Chhattisgarhi folk heritage.