Lost voices: Stories of Punjabi singers whose lives were cut short

Rajvir Jawanda’s death is the latest in a tragic lineage of Punjabi singers taken in their prime through unnatural deaths.

The 35-year-old star passed away after a motorcycle accident near Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, on September 27. He fought for 11 days on a ventilator, but severe head and spine injuries proved fatal.

Born in 1990 in Pona village, Ludhiana, to Sikh parents, Rajvir started as a policeman in Punjab force before switching to music full-time. He debuted in 2014 with the album ‘Munda Like Me’ and became known for blending folk tunes with modern beats in hits like ‘Sardari’, ‘Tu Dis Penda’, ‘Kali Camaro’, ‘Shaandaar’, and ‘Dheeyan’. His YouTube channel racked up over 424 million views, making him a wedding and party favourite. A bike enthusiast, he crashed into stray cattle while heading to Shimla on his BMW bike.

Sidhu Moose Wala

Born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu on June 11, 1993, in Moosa village, Mansa, Sidhu graduated in electrical engineering and moved to Canada. He debuted by writing ‘Licence’ for Ninja and went viral with ‘So High’. Albums PBX 1 and hits like ‘47’, ‘295’, ‘GOAT’, and ‘Legend’ mixed politics, pride and gun culture. He acted in ‘Yes I Am Student’ and joined the Congress in 2022. At 28, Sidhu was assassinated on May 29, 2022, in Jawaharke, Mansa. His Mahindra Thar was ambushed; 19-30 bullets killed him. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed the responsibility. Posthumous albums ‘MOOSATAPE’ and ‘410’ topped charts. In 2024, his parents welcomed a son via IVF.

Amar Singh Chamkila

Born Dhani Ram on July 21, 1960, in Dugri near Ludhiana, Chamkila worked in a cloth mill before being spotted by Surinder Shinda. He debuted solo with Surinder Sonia and peaked with Amarjot Kaur. His cheeky, high-pitched songs on village life drew massive crowds. He did 366 shows in 365 days. At 27, on March 8, 1988, he, Amarjot (pregnant), and band were gunned down in Mehsampur, Jalandhar. Theories include provocative lyrics, jealousy, and extortion. He left two daughters and over 200 unreleased songs. His legacy endures in a Netflix biopic and annual Dugri fair.

Ishmeet Singh

Born September 2, 1989, in Ludhiana, Ishmeet was a shy, soft-spoken Sikh boy who idolised Shaan and A R Rahman. A second-year student at Mumbai's MNC College, he won Amul Star Voice of India in 2007 at 17. His devotional album ‘Satgur Tumre Kaaj Savaare’ hinted at a bright future. He toured internationally and was set to release an album with Lalit Pandit.

At 19, Ishmeet died on July 29, 2008, in a Maldives resort pool during a promo event. Though ruled drowning, injuries raised suspicions and his family alleged foul play, demanding a CBI probe. Singer Shaan said friends thought his cries were jokes. Tribute albums were released, and Punjab honoured him in 2017. His family started the Ishmeet Singh Foundation for music promotion.'

Diljaan

Born Parmar Diljaan Singh on March 31, 1984, in Patiala to a musical family, Diljaan was trained in sufi-classical styles by Ustad Purna Shahkoti. He shone on shows like ‘Awaaz Punjab Di’ and became first runner-up on the 2012 India-Pakistan contest Sur Kshetra. Hits like ‘Adha Pind’, ‘Yaaran Di Gal’, ‘First Love’, ‘Sai Ke Diwane’, and ‘Tere Wargey 2’ captured youth's carefree vibe. He was also a devotional singer with tracks like ‘Baba Nanak’.

At 31, Diljaan died on March 30, 2021, in a car crash near Jandiala Guru, Amritsar. Driving alone from Amritsar to Kartarpur, his car hit a parked truck at 2:30 am. He died on the spot. Survived by his wife and daughter in Canada, his last post teased new songs. Tributes poured in from Master Saleem and Roshan Prince; Punjab CM Amarinder Singh called it a sad loss of young talent.

Soni Pabla

Born Tejpal Singh Pabla on June 29, 1976, near Bilaspur, Hoshiarpur, Soni moved to Toronto in the mid-1990s. After a factory accident cost him a finger, he drove trucks before breaking into music. His debut album ‘Heeray’ launched him, and his collaboration with Sukshinder Shinda exploded with ‘Gal Dil Di’. Hits like ‘Panjaeb Yaar Di’, ‘Jatt Di Dushmani’, and ‘Boli Paani’ packed venues.

At 30, Soni died on October 14, 2006, mid-performance in Brampton, Ontario, from a heart attack. His funeral was aired on ‘Jee Aayan Nu’. Tributes include ‘Eternity (Naseebo)’, ‘She is the One’, and ‘Unfinished Project’. He left a wife and young son.

Kaka Bhaniawala

Born Santokh Singh Rataurh on April 5, 1970, in Doaba Bhaini village near Kohara, Ludhiana, Kaka got his nickname from his mother. He debuted with ‘Mashooq Teri Challi’ and gained fame with ‘Sahnevaal Chowk’ and Daru Pi Ke Jatt Bukk De. At 38, Kaka died on April 12, 2009, from jaundice and liver failure worsened by heavy drinking and a blood transfusion infection. He passed peacefully amid work on a solo album. A Birmingham tribute concert was held for his family. He left a wife and kids.

These singers — Rajvir, Diljaan, Ishmeet, Soni, Chamkila, Sidhu, and Kaka — gave Punjabi music its heartbeat. But accidents, violence, and health struggles took them too early.