Veteran Odia singer Geeta Patnaik passes away

CUTTACK: Veteran Odia singer Geeta Patnaik passed away while undergoing treatment for brain stroke at a private hospital in CDA locality of Cuttack on Sunday. She was 71.

Geeta was attending a literary meeting in Bhubaneswar on Thursday night when she complained of uneasiness. She was taken to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and later shifted to a private hospital in Cuttack, where she was admitted to the ICU. The medical test revealed she had suffered a brain stroke.Known for her distinctive voice and artistic versatility, Geeta was a prominent figure in the Odia music industry in the 1970s. With a career spanning over three decades, she has lent her voice in several Odia hits along with legendary singer Akshaya Mohanty.

Among her widely-popular and evergreen Odia songs are ‘Phur Kina Udigala Bani’, ‘Danei Das Kahere Bhai (Jajabar)’, ‘Ei Taarabhara Janha Rati Jhumi Jhumi (Akhi Trutiya)’, ‘Prathame Bandili Baata Mangala (Akhi Trutiya)’, ‘Bada Bedardi Mo Naali Paan Raja’, ‘Nadi Phere Sagarku (Naga Phasa)’ and ‘Are Babu Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over Geeta’s death. “Her departure is an irrecoverable loss to Odisha’s music and culture. I convey my deepest condolence to the bereaved family members and praying Lord Jagannath for the eternal peace of the departed soul,” Majhi wrote on X.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said she had created a unique identity in Odia music and made invaluable contributions to Odisha’s art and culture. “Her voice will continue to inspire future generations,” Pradhan wrote on X while extending condolence to the bereaved