Ekushey Padak-winning Rabindra Sangeet artist Papia Sarwar has passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Her husband, Sarwar A. Alam, confirmed that she breathed her last on Thursday morning while undergoing treatment at Impulse Hospital in Dhaka.
It was reported that Papia Sarwar had been suffering from cancer for an extended period. She had been receiving treatment for the past four days at a private hospital in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Prior to this, she was under medical care at another hospital in the Bashundhara Residential Area of the capital.
Born in Barisal, Papia Sarwar studied zoology at University of Dhaka before pursuing a degree in Rabindra Sangeet at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, India, on a scholarship from the Indian government.
She also received training in music from eminent personalities such as Wahidul Haq, Sanjida Khatun, and Zahedur Rahim at Chhayanaut. While her primary focus was on Rabindra Sangeet, she also performed modern songs.
Her rendition of the song "Nai Telephone Nai Re Pion Nai Re Telegram" gained widespread popularity across the country. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Rabindra Award from Bangla Academy in 2013 and the Ekushey Padak, a prestigious state honor, in 2021.
