Popular folk singer from Gorkha, Lal Bahadur Gandharva, has passed away at the age of 80. He died on Thursday at his residence in Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality-1, Ghyampesal.
According to family sources, he had been suffering from cancer for some time. Gandharva started playing the sarangi at the young age of nine, which eventually led him to a job at Radio Nepal.
He joined Radio Nepal in 2022 BS and gained recognition at 20 after performing Karkha (historical folk ballads) on land reform, which caught the attention of King Mahendra. His song Kharbariko Chheu was recorded in 1965, and he worked at Radio Nepal until 2027 BS.
Throughout his career, he sang Karkha and Sawai about significant events like the 1934 earthquake, the life of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the rise of Jung Bahadur, the World War, and the Danphe Chaari. His performances made him a nationally recognized figure.
In 2076 BS, a special musical event, Lal Bahadur Gandharva Sarangi Sanjh, was organized in Kathmandu’s Pragya Pratisthan in his honor. He was also known for singing Hamro Tenzing Sherpa Le Chadyo Himal Chuchura, originally sung by Dharma Raj Thapa.
