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Ishmeet to receive State funeral

— Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

RICH TRIBUTES: Members of Akhil Bharatiya Punjabi Ekta Committee paying homage to the “Voice of India” fame singer Ishmeet Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday. The 20-year-old lost his life in the Maldives on Tuesday.

CHANDIGARH: Singing sensation Ishmeet Singh, who died in the Maldives on Tuesday, will be given a State funeral by the Punjab Government in his native town Ludhiana on Thursday.

Directions to this effect were issued by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here on Wednesday evening, his media adviser H. S. Bains told PTI.

The State Government has also arranged a chartered plane to bring Ishmeet’s body to Ludhiana from New Delhi, Mr. Bains said, adding that cremation would take place with full State honours on Thursday.

He said that State Government officials and leaders of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance would escort the body from Halwara airport near Ludhiana to his residence in Shastri Nagar area of the town. Ishmeet, winner of the reality show “Voice of India 2007”, had gone to the Maldives last Friday for a stage show. He drowned in the swimming pool of a hotel on Tuesday evening.

The death of the young singer has been condoled by a number of State leaders and ministers including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his predecessor Amarinder Singh, Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal.

Mr. Atwal and Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal visited Ishmeet’s residence in Ludhiana on Wednesday.

Condoling the death of the talented singer, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said: “He had earned name and fame at a young age and was bound to progress further, but a young life has been cut short.”

A pall of gloom descended at Ishmeet’s residence in Ludhiana on Wednesday night immediately after reports poured in that the young singer died after drowning in a swimming pool at a hotel in the Maldives. He was the only son of his parents. Ishmeet’s mother Amritpal Kaur was in a state of shock as soon as she came to know of the demise of the singer who was pursuing his B.Com. II Year from MNC College in Mumbai.

The producer of ‘Voice of India’ has expressed shock and dismay over the tragic death of the singer. “Ishmeet was like our own child, he had been with us since we started off with ‘Voice of India’ till the end. He made us proud by winning the show. The news of his sudden death comes across as a total shock to us. I would take this opportunity to assure his family that we are all there to support them,” Gajendra Singh, who was closely associated with the young talent said.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed shock and grief on Wednesday over the tragic death singer Ishmeet Singh.

The Prime Minister is shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ishmeet Singh, said a PMO official, adding, “Dr. Singh shares the grief of Ishmeet’s parents and family.” - PTI

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