The doyen of folk music in Uttarakhand, Jeet Singh Negi breathed his last at his Dehradun residence on Sunday. He was 95.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, musicians and music lovers from across the state and beyond expressed grief at the passing away of the legendary folk singer and composer. Born at his native village of Ayal in Pauri district on February 2, 1925, Negi began his musical career in the 1940s.
He was the first folk singer from Uttarakhand to have his collection of six Garhwali folk songs recorded on gramophone by HMV in 1949.
His songs including the famous ‘Tu Holi Oonchi Daandyo Ma Veera’ were very popular among the people for a long time.
Natives of Uttarakhand used to wait to hear his songs on the radio when music systems were not common. He has also inspired a number of folk singers who are well established today. In his later years, he led a life away from the attention of the public and the government at his Dharmpur residence in Dehradun.
