UKHRUL: A familiar voice that once united millions in song fell silent on Sunday as singer and actor Prashant Tamang passed away at the age of 43 after suffering a heart attack at his New Delhi residence.
Originally from Darjeeling and belonging to the Nepali community, Tamang became a household name in 2004 when he won the third season of the singing reality show Indian Idol on Sony Entertainment Television. His victory was unprecedented, with him securing more than 700 lakh votes, a margin nearly ten times higher than that of runner-up Amit Paul.
After his breakthrough on Indian Idol, Tamang pursued a solo music career and released his first album, Dhanyavad, which featured tracks in both Hindi and Nepali. He went on to contribute songs to several Nepali films, including Gorkha Paltan (2010), Angalo Yo Maya Ko, and Himmat 2 (2013).
Expanding his career into acting, Tamang made his screen debut in Nepali cinema withGorkha Paltan. He later appeared in films such as Angalo Yo Maya Ko, Kina Maya Ma (2011), Nishani (2014), Pardesi (2015), and Ye Maya Hanaima. Films like Gorkha Paltan and Nishani, both depicting Gorkha valour, achieved significant commercial success in Nepal.
Tamang later entered Hindi entertainment, playing Daniel Acho in the second season of the Amazon Prime Video crime thriller series Pataal Lok, created by Raj and DK. His final film appearance was in Apoorva Lakhia’s military drama Battle of Galwan, produced by Salman Khan Films and starring Salman Khan and Chitrangada Singh. The project is based on the India–China confrontation in the Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.