Vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, a leading figure of Indian classical music, has died after a prolonged illness. He was 89. Joshi was hospitalised three weeks ago in the western city of Pune complaining of shortness of breath, a Sahyadri hospital official said. He later underwent dialysis following kidney failure. He died Monday.
The son of a school teacher in the southern state of Karnataka, Joshi moved to the entertainment capital Mumbai in 1943 to work as a radio singer and released his debut album by age 22.