Union Minister Nitin Gadkari mourns Asha Bhosle, calls her demise a “huge blow”

Veteran playback singer Asha Bhosle has passed away, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has described her death as a “huge blow” to her family and to the nation’s musical heritage. Speaking on 12 April 2026, Gadkari said he shared a very close relationship with the legendary singer for several years and that Asha Bhosle, whom he affectionately Union Minister Nitin Gadkari mourns Asha Bhosle, calls her demise a “huge blow”

Veteran playback singer Asha Bhosle has passed away, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has described her death as a “huge blow” to her family and to the nation’s musical heritage. Speaking on 12 April 2026, Gadkari said he shared a very close relationship with the legendary singer for several years and that Asha Bhosle, whom he affectionately called “Asha Tayi,” sang many songs in multiple languages. He added that her compositions remain popular across the world and that she is globally renowned for her voice and contribution to Indian cinema‑music.

Gadkari drew a direct comparison between Asha Bhosle and her sister Lata Mangeshkar, saying that the way Lata Mangeshkar brought laurels to India through her singing, Asha Bhosle “too did the same.” The minister emphasized that the manner in which both sisters shaped the sound of modern Indian film‑music has left an indelible mark on generations of listeners. Referring to Asha Bhosle’s passing, he said, “Her demise is a huge blow to her family. We are all sad. May God give strength to the bereaved family and may her soul rest in peace.”

Open‑source records show that Asha Bhosle was widely regarded as one of India’s most versatile playback singers, with a career spanning more than seven decades and thousands of songs in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and several other Indian languages. Her collaborations with leading music directors and actors helped define the sound of multiple film‑eras, and tributes have poured in from across the country’s film and cultural circles. The minister’s remarks echo the broader national mood of mourning and gratitude toward her artistic legacy, even as the official family and medical‑institution channels confirm the details of her passing according to available public statements.

Key highlights 

Nitin Gadkari calls Asha Bhosle’s death a “huge blow” to family

Praises her global reach and multilingual song repertoire

Compares Asha Bhosle to Lata Mangeshkar for national‑level glory

Describes long‑standing personal closeness to “Asha Tayi”