Zakir Hussain
Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain died in a San Francisco hospital on December 17, following multiple health issues including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 73.
Shyam Benegal
Filmmaker Shyam Benegal died on December 23, following health problems since years. He was one of the most respected and awarded filmmakers in Indian history, with him being considered the pioneer of parallel cinema.
Ustad Rashid Khan
Hindustani classical musician Ustad Rashid Khan, who was battling cancer, died in a private Kolkata hospital on January 9. He was 55, and known for his contribution to the Vilambit Khayal gayaki, and even mainstream entertainers such as Jab We Met (2007) and My Name Is Khan (2010).
Rohit Bal
One of India’s top fashion designers Rohit Bal died on November 1 at 63, due to a heart attack. Known for his gender-inclusive designs, his career spanned more than three decades.
Suhani Bhatnagar
Suhani Bhatnagar, who portrayed the role of young Babita Phogat in the film Dangal (2016), succumbed to Dermatomyositis, a rare inflammatory disease, on February 18. and died at 19. Her family revealed that she had showed symptoms two months ago while she was diagnosed with the disease only ten days before her death.
Rituraj Singh
Actor Rituraj Singh, known for starring in films such as Satyameva Jayate 2 (2021), Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017) and television shows such as Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, died on February 20 due to cardiac arrest. He was 59, and is survived by wife Charu Singh, son Adhiraaj and daughter Jahaan.
Pankaj Udhas
Renowned Ghazal singer Padma Shri Pankaj Udhas died at the age of 73 on February 26. His family confirmed that his death was due to prolonged illness.
Liam Payne
Former One Direction member Liam Payne’s death took place on October 16 in CasaSur Palermo Hotel. An investigation has been going on into his tragic fall from his room’s balcony in Buenos Aires. He was 31.
Dame Maggie Smith
Actor Maggie Smith, who had a prolific career in showbiz and remains most popular across the globe for playing the role of Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies, died on September 27 at the age of 89.
James Earl Jones
Actor James Earl Jones, known for his iconic voice roles as Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, passed away on September 10 at the age of 93.
Gena Rowlands
Three-time Emmy winner Gena Rowlands, was renowned for projects such as Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence. She died on August 14 at the age of 94, and was suffering from Alzheiner’s disease.
Donald Sutherland
Actor Donald Sutherland, known for iconic performances in projects such as The Hunger Games and M.A.S.H., died at the age of 88 following “a long illness”.