Pataal Lok, Indian Idol 3 winner Prashant Tamang passes away at 43
Singer and actor Prashant Tamang, who shot to fame after winning Indian Idol Season 3, passed away on Sunday at his residence in New Delhi. He was 43 and reportedly suffered a stroke.
Reacting to his sudden passing, Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling and the party’s national spokesperson, said Tamang’s death had left the Gorkha community and the wider world of art and music in shock. He noted that Tamang’s Indian Idol victory in 2007 was a moment of immense pride for Gorkhas across the country and helped bring Nepali music into the national spotlight.
Bista added that Tamang’s journey on the reality show created a rare sense of unity across the Darjeeling hills, Terai, Dooars, Sikkim and the Northeast, while also resonating with Gorkhas around the world. He also recalled that Tamang was serving in the West Bengal Police Orchestra when he participated in the competition.
Calling his death an irreplaceable loss, Bista said that Indian music, cinema and especially the Gorkhali community had lost a gifted and much-loved artist far too soon.
Following his Indian Idol win, Tamang released his debut album Dhanyavaad and went on to perform extensively overseas, establishing himself as both a playback singer and live performer. He later made a successful transition to films, debuting with the Nepali hit Gorkha Paltan in 2010. His filmography also includes Angalo Yo Maya Ko, Kina Maya Ma, Nishani, Pardesi and Kina Mayama.
