Kolkata, June 1: Famed Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known by his stage name KK, was given a gun salute by Kolkata police personnel in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and his family members here on Wednesday.
Kk’s flower-bedecked coffin was placed on a makeshift platform on the precincts of city’ cultural hub Rabindra Sadan with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and several members of the state cabinet in attendance.
Earlier Banerjee and other dignitaries paid floral tributes to the singer after his body was carried to the venue from SSKM Hospital, where the post-mortem was done.
Banerjee, who personally supervised the arrangements, was seen arranging the flowers herself, as she stood by the family. KK’s widow Jyothi broke into tears holding Banerjee’s hands while paying her last respects to the singer, as the Chief Minister consoled her.
The Kolkata police personnel gave a three-gun salute in a show of respect for the singer, who died after a concert here on Tuesday night.
They reversed their guns as the bugle sounded the last post, making the occasion even more sombre.
KK’s mortal remains will be flown to Mumbai by a 5.15 PM flight from Dum Dum airport.
Earlier in the day, an unnatural death case was registered at the New Market police station.
KK was performing at Nazrul Mancha for a college fest on Tuesday evening when he felt uncomfortable after singing for an hour.
KK returned to the hotel where he had put up, but was rushed to CMRI Hospital after his
condition deteriorated and he collapsed. The hospital’s doctors declared him dead on arrival.
KK recorded over 700 songs and received six Filmfare nominations, and won the Filmfare Awards South in 2010 for being adjudged the best male playback singer.
Born in Delhi to Malayali parents, KK sang 3,500 jingles before getting his break in the Mumbai film industry.
In 1999, KK came out with his maiden solo album titled Pal. The songs “Aap Ki Dua”, “Yaaron” and the title track “Pal” became a rage among youngsters, and also topped the music chart.
He was among the performers in the “Josh of India” song in support of the Indian cricket team
during the 1999 World Cup.
Rated as a leading versatile singer of his generation, K K has recorded songs in films in various Indian languages including Hindi, Tamil, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, Telugu,
Kannada.
Among his superhit Bollywood songs are Tadap Tadap (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999), Dus Bahane (Dus, 2005), and Tune Maari Entriyaan (Gunday, 2014).
He also performed a song “Tanha Chala” for the Pakistani TV show The Ghost which was aired
on Hum TV in 2008.
He was 53.
