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India mourns singer Prashant Tamang, Indian Idol winner and Gorkha icon
Hundreds of fans gathered in Darjeeling on Tuesday to pay their final respects to Prashant Tamang, the beloved singer and actor who died of a cardiac arrest at age 43. Tamang, who shot to fame after winning Indian Idol in 2007, became a symbol of pride for the Gorkha community.
Sudden death shocks fans and community
Tamang passed away at his home in Delhi on Sunday. His body was transported to his hometown of Darjeeling in West Bengal on Monday, where mourners lined the streets to bid farewell. Social media tributes poured in, with many expressing disbelief at his untimely death.
A career that united the Gorkha community
Tamang's victory on Indian Idol was a historic moment for the Gorkha people, a Nepali-speaking ethnic group spread across India's northern and northeastern states. His success brought long-overdue recognition to the community, which had rarely seen one of its own achieve mainstream fame.
Bimal Gurung, leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-a political party advocating for a separate Gorkhaland state-told the Sikkim Express that Tamang "carried the hopes and aspirations of an entire community onto the global stage."
"Prashant was a musical coordinator who unified not only Indian Gorkhas but also the Gorkhas of the world."
Bimal Gurung, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief
From police constable to national star
Before his Indian Idol win, Tamang worked as a police constable in Kolkata, where his talent was discovered after he joined the police orchestra. His journey to stardom was marked by overwhelming support from his community, who pooled resources to vote for him during the competition.
Tamang later revealed that many in Darjeeling lacked mobile phones at the time, so fans collected money to buy devices and even performed religious rituals for his victory. He won the season with nearly 10 times more votes than his closest rival.
Controversy and cultural impact
Tamang's win was not without challenges. An alleged racist remark by a radio jockey sparked protests and violence in West Bengal, highlighting the discrimination faced by the Gorkha community. Despite this, Tamang's success remained a source of pride.
His sister, Anupama Gurung, told the BBC that he was "more than a singer" for the people of Darjeeling. "After decades without a figure we could identify with, he became a symbol of pride and representation for an entire region," she said.
Legacy in music and film
Following his Indian Idol victory, Tamang released his debut album, featuring songs in both Hindi and Nepali. He later transitioned to acting, starring in the Nepali film Gorkha Paltan (2010) and gaining wider recognition for his role as an assassin in the Amazon Prime series Paatal Lok last year.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her sorrow over his death, acknowledging his roots in the Darjeeling hills and his ties to the Kolkata Police. Singer Udit Narayan, a judge on Tamang's Indian Idol season, called his passing "heartbreaking" and praised him as "extremely talented" and "a true gentleman."
