Zubeen Garg Age, Wife, Cause of Death, Family, Net Worth, Biography

Who is Zubeen Garg?

Zubeen Garg was a revered Indian singer, composer and filmmaker from Assam whose voice travelled across languages and regions. He rose to nationwide fame with “Ya Ali” from Gangster and went on to record thousands of songs across Assamese, Hindi, Bengali and more. He’s in the news following his tragic death in Singapore on September 19, 2025, after a scuba-diving accident, a loss that has led to an outpouring of tributes from leaders, artists and fans. A lesser-known fact: he won a National Film Award for music in a non-feature film in 2009, an honour captured by India’s Press Information Bureau.

Key Information 

Early Life & Education

Zubeen Borthakur was born on November 18, 1972, in Tura, Meghalaya, and grew up in Jorhat, Assam. He adopted “Garg” from his family’s gotra and was named after conductor Zubin Mehta. His father, Mohini Mohon Borthakur, is a magistrate, poet and lyricist who writes as “Kapil Thakur,” and his mother, Ily Borthakur, was a singer Zubeen often called her his first guru. He completed schooling in Assam, studied at Karimganj College, then enrolled for a B.Sc. at B. Borooah College in Guwahati before leaving to pursue music full-time.

His younger sister, actress-singer Jonkey (Jongki) Borthakur, died in a 2002 road accident; Zubeen later dedicated the album Xixhu to her memory.

Physical Appearance

Public, verified sources rarely publish precise physical metrics for Zubeen Garg. Various entertainment profiles have listed height between 5’7″ and 5’9″ and weight in the 70–80 kg range; eye and hair colour are generally noted as dark. Treat these as approximate rather than official.

• Height: approx. 170–177 cm

• Weight: approx. 70–80 kg

• Eye colour: dark

• Hair colour: black (graying in later years)

Career Journey

Early Break

Zubeen’s breakthrough in Assam came with his early ’90s albums, led by Anamika (1992), which helped redefine Assamese pop for a new generation.

National Spotlight

He became a household name across India with “Ya Ali” in Gangster (2006), and contributed to scores of film and non-film tracks in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali and other languages.

Composer–Director–Actor

Beyond singing, he composed for films and acted in Assamese cinema. His 2019 directorial Kanchanjangha addressed the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) recruitment scam and drew significant attention.

Awards & Honours

• National Film Award (Best Music Direction, Non-Feature) for Echoes of Silence (55th National Film Awards). A PIB-sourced photograph documents the honour being presented by the President of India on October 21, 2009.

• Honorary D.Litt. (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (August 27, 2024).

Recent Work (2024–2025)

He remained prolific in 2024–25, contributing to new songs and stage projects:

• “Akou Natun Prabhat Hobo” (2025) and “Ekhon Guitar” (2025).

• Theatre Surjya piece “Tick Tock Tick Tock” (2025–26).

• Songs for Assamese films including Rudra (2025).

He travelled to Singapore to perform at the North East India Festival in September 2025, where he tragically passed away following a diving mishap.

Cause of Death 

Assamese and Bollywood singer Zubeen Garg died on September 19, 2025, after a scuba diving accident in Singapore. He was 52 years old.

Details surrounding his death:

• While scuba diving, Garg experienced breathing difficulties.
• He was given CPR at the scene before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital.
• Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
• An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
• Garg was in Singapore as the Cultural Brand Ambassador for the North East Festival, where he was scheduled to perform.

Relationships & Personal Life

Zubeen married Garima Saikia (now Garima Saikia Garg) in 2002. Garima is a noted singer and designer who has worked on Assamese films and music projects. Public reports after his passing state he is survived by his wife; no biological children were publicly confirmed.

He was known for philanthropy and community work. In May 2021, amid COVID-19’s second wave, he and Garima offered a two-storey Guwahati property for use as a COVID care centre a gesture widely reported by mainstream outlets.

Zubeen also identified strongly with social causes, especially cultural identity and civil rights in Assam. He was a prominent non-political face of anti-CAA protests and continued voicing his stance through 2024.

Family Background