Sabastian Sawe's London Marathon shoe weighs less than 100 grams; target came from 'moonshot brief'Here's how Sabastian Sawe got the super shoe for the London Marathon. Know how the game-changing gear was developed. Published on: May 12, 2026 5:05 PM IST By Vishesh Roy Share via Copy link With
Guest Column| Punjab’s last defence against drugs is the motherLaw enforcement and political rhetoric are failing our youth; only a domestic revolution led by mothers can dismantle the social roots of addiction. Published on: May 12, 2026 4:38 PM IST By Khushwant Singh Share via Copy link The
Who is Yaoning ‘Mike’ Sun? Meet Arcadia mayor Eileen Wang's ex-fiancée sentenced to 4 years in prisonYaoning 'Mike' Sun received a 48-month prison sentence for acting as an undisclosed agent for China while advising a city council candidate. Published on: May 12
IIT Madras BS Admission 2026: Registration begins at iitm.ac.in, apply by May 31IIT Madras BS Admission 2026 registration has started. The application link will be deactivated on May 31, 2026. Published on: May 12, 2026 3:53 PM IST By HT Education Desk Share via Copy link Indian Institute of
Washing machines continue to remain among the more heavily searched home appliance categories during the ongoing Amazon Great Summer Sale as buyers look for larger capacities, inverter motors and lower-maintenance laundry setups before peak summer usage
Fans flock to mourn iconic Indian singer Zubeen Garg
Fans flock to mourn iconic Indian singer Zubeen Garg
Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered in Guwahati, the capital of the northeastern state of Assam, to mourn the death of singer-composer Zubeen Garg.
Garg, 52, drowned on 19 September in Singapore, where he had gone to perform at a live concert.
He was a cultural icon in Assam, singing in more than 40 languages and dialects in a career spanning 33 years. His hit Hindi language song Ya Ali from the 2006 film Gangster made him nationally famous.
Garg's cremation will be held on Tuesday with state honours after a second autopsy on the body is conducted to rule out any foul play in his death, said Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The state has declared three days of mourning, with several prominent personalities including politicians, musicians and hordes of fans from across the region travelling to Guwahati to pay their last respects to the singer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned Garg on X, saying he would be remembered for his "rich contribution to music".
Garg's career took off when he was just 19 and still in college. His first music album, Anamika, released in 1992, became an instant chartbuster.
His rise to stardom coincided with a period of violence linked to separatist groups in Assam. His lively melodies about love, hope and despair - embellished with catchy riffs - brought a breath of fresh air to an otherwise tense social milieu.
By 2000, when Garg made his acting and directorial debut with an Assamese movie Tumi Mor Matho Mor, his popularity had touched new heights.
His face was regularly splashed on big billboards and his songs could be heard in markets and buses, and at college events and social gatherings.
He was a fashion icon among Assam's youth and built a larger-than-life persona with his sartorial choices, which included trendy sunglasses and ripped jeans.
Garg was also the most sought-after artist during Bihu – a cultural festival celebrated in Assam in mid-April every year. Throughout the month, he would travel around the state singing in live concerts, which were attended by thousands of people.
Large sections of Garg's fans identify him as an "emotion" - a pop culture figure akin to no one.
He could sing a rock song with the same ease as regional folk music and spiritual sub-genres such as Borgeet, Bihu and Zikir. This versatility broadened his fan base across generations and communities.
Beyond music, Garg was also known for his activism, even though he never associated himself with a political party.
He regularly condemned violence by separatist groups in the region, despite receiving threats.
In 2019, he played a significant role in mobilising people against a controversial new citizenship law that offered citizenship to non-Muslim religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
In 2024, Garg joined Guwahati residents protesting against the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government for cutting trees to build a new flyover.
Garg's admirers saw him as someone who never thought twice before ruffling feathers.
"He feared nobody. He spoke his heart out. And he was extremely generous. Can you think of any other celebrity like that?" asked Bimugdha Goswami, a fan who was part of a large gathering in Guwahati on Monday.
In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, Garg offered his apartment to the government for use as an isolation centre.
Over decades, people from towns and villages across Assam have testified to receiving financial help from Garg for medical treatment, school admissions, college admissions, marriages, funerals and more.
In an interview to a regional TV channel in 2018, Garg spoke about how his fan clubs across cities and districts in Assam had made these activities possible.
The same clubs are now managing crowds and organising tributes as they bid him farewell.
Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Assam’s capital Guwahati sees nightlife boom with rising clubs Cloudy skies can’t dim joy as thousands fill nation's capital for World Pride parade 6 dead, hundreds evacuated in rain-hit districts of Maharashtra Meta, BlackRock, Citigroup Begin Year With Hundreds Of Job Cuts Hundreds dead and missing in flooding across South East Asia Paramount Global lays off hundreds in US due to ‘decline of cable TV industry’ South Korea’s Top Diplomat May Travel to US After Migrant Raid That Nabbed Hundreds Wendy’s to shut hundreds more outlets in US after closing 140 last year Man who alleged hundreds were raped and buried in Indian temple town arrested
PM Narendra Modi urges citizens to avoid new gold purchases, Tanishq promotes a gold exchange programme letting customers swap old jewellery for new. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to avoid buying gold for a year to help reduce forex outflow and ease pressure on imports
1 days ago
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has called for an all-party meeting. He wants to discuss the economic impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's austerity appeal. Pawar believes the appeal has caused unease among citizens and businesses. He stressed the need to restore public confidence and ensure
1 days ago
NEET UG 2026: Opposition criticises govt after exam cancellation over paper leakThe Congress party in a post on X said NEET UG irregularities have become common and over “89 papers leaked in 10 years” Published on: May 12, 2026 4:49 PM IST By Ishita Bahl
1 days ago
Twenty years after their first partnership with designer Stella McCartney, fashion retailer H&M is all set to launch their second collaboration (on May 7) with the luxury label from the UK. It blends current signature styles such as oversized shirts
1 days ago
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday quashed a communication from the Union government rejecting an application submitted by The Wire’s founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan for an Overseas Citizen of India card, Bar and Bench reported. Overseas Citizen of India is an immigration status that allows
1 days ago
India rationalizes royalties on crude oil and gas, offers zero royalty for seven years on deepwater and ultra deepwater DSF and HELP blocks to cut costs. In an attempt to push India’s domestic oil and natural gas sector amid the global crude oil crisis
1 days ago
But, one thing’s for sure: the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking downright unstoppable right now. Led once again by a sensational Shai Gilgeous-Alexander masterclass, the defending champions defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 to complete a ruthless 4-0 playoff sweep and storm into the
1 days ago
Another football ‘Spygate’ controversy has erupted — and this time, Southampton find themselves at the centre of the storm. The Saints have been accused of sending a club analyst to secretly observe and potentially film Middlesbrough’s training sessions just two days before the sides played
1 days ago
Across industries, businesses are moving from AI experimentation to measurable enterprise impact. The Most Innovative AI product awards 2026 recognise organisations building intelligent solutions that are transforming sectors such as healthcare, FinTech, cybersecurity, retail and more
1 days ago
'Kab ayega CBSE 12 class ka result?’: Internet flooded with memes as students await scoresInternet flooded with memes as students waited anxiously for the CBSE Class 12 results announcement. Published on: May 12, 2026 3:36 PM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share via Copy link As lakhs of students
1 days ago
Rumours surrounding television’s beloved couple Karan Kundrra and Tejasswi Prakash have once again taken over social media. This time, a video of actor Abhishek Kumar has grabbed everyone’s attention, in which he is allegedly seen confirming that the duo may have already tied the knot
1 days ago
Liquor ban question engulfs J&K politics as CM Omar Abdullah cites free will, revenueCM Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that people consume alcohol of their own will and the government was not forcing anyone to visit liquor shops. Updated on: May 12
1 days ago
The Indigenous traditional owners of land in north-western Australia have been awarded a record A$150.1 million ($108.3m; £79.9m) payout after a court ruled one of the country's most well-known billionaires mined their land without permission
1 days ago
Sir Keir Starmer is fighting to stay on as prime minister, as he stares down calls from Labour critics, including some of his own ministers, to quit Downing Street. It comes amid a revolt among Labour MPs and calls from ministers for him to draw up an exit timetable after a disastrous set of
1 days ago
A mayor of a southern Californian city has resigned after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) charged her with acting as an illegal agent of China. Eileen Wang, 58 - the mayor of Arcadia - agreed to plead guilty to the felony count and Arcadia City Council said she resigned from her post on Monday
1 days ago
The cancellation of a crucial exam held earlier in May for admission to medical colleges over allegations of a paper leak has sparked protests in the Indian capital, Delhi. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), known as NEET-UG
1 days ago
‘Godzilla prn in Euphoria’: Viewers are not impressed by Sydney Sweeney's humiliating portrayal of sex workThe last episode of Euphoria aired recently and fan are divided. Viewers are criticising Sam Levinson's depiction of sex work through Sydney Sweeney. May 12, 2026
1 days ago
Actor Abhishek Bachchan expressed a desire to see retired Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the new European T20 Premier League. However, current BCCI regulations prevent active Indian cricketers from playing in overseas T20 leagues. Bachchan believes the league will still attract top global
1 days ago
Netflix has been sued in Texas over claims it collects data belonging to children and adults in the US state without their consent, and uses "addictive" design to keep them hooked. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused the streaming giant of "spying" on citizens saying it "records and monetises
1 days ago
In a city celebrated for its vibrant food culture—from spicy misal pav to street-style vada pav—one old-school bakery in Pune continues to win hearts with something much simpler: freshly baked ghee biscuits. Tucked away in the bustling Fergusson College Road area
1 days ago
When U.S. President Donald Trump meets Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, the shadow the Iran conflict casts over the summit might appear to give China’s leader a clear advantage. Beijing has been relatively shielded from the effects of the conflict thanks to its oil reserves
1 days ago
Fifty years old this month, Kraftwerk's single Radioactivity was a groundbreaking track that morphed into the German electronic pioneers' most political protest song. From the tremulous opening seconds of Kraftwerk's Radioactivity – a pulsing Geiger counter; escalating synths; shrill morse code
1 days ago
India Post GDS 3rd Merit List 2026 released at indiapost.gov.in, check hereIndia Post GDS 3rd Merit List 2026 has been released. The direct link to check the merit list is given here. Updated on: May 12, 2026 4:37 PM IST By HT Education Desk | Edited by Papri Chanda Share via Copy link India Post
1 days ago
Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi has been booked in Mahoba under charges of assault on a public official and promoting hate after he called Prime Minister Narendra Modi "anti-national," police said on Tuesday (May 12, 2026). Mr. Lodhi, the Lok Sabha MP from the Hamirpur constituency
1 days ago
Qatar’s premier and Foreign Minister said his recent visit to Washington sought to bolster mediation efforts seeking to end the U.S.-Iran war .“The visit focused primarily on supporting the Pakistani diplomatic efforts and ensuring a positive response to these efforts to reach a solution as
1 days ago
‘Indian students must be protected from the mafia’: Kamal Haasan as NEET exam gets cancelled over alleged paper leakThe National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday cancelled the NEET (UG) 2026 exam held on May 3 amid allegations of paper leak. May 12, 2026
1 days ago
Is your daily screen time putting your vision at risk? The hidden danger of delaying eye check-ups in working adultsDoctors highlight a growing concern among working adults where untreated eye strain from screens may slowly lead to serious vision-related problems Updated on: May 12
1 days ago
