Papia Sarwar, renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent and Ekushey Padak laureate, passed away at a private hospital in Dhaka yesterday. She was 72.

She breathed her last at 8:00am, said a family source.

Papia Sarwar had been battling cancer for several years. Last month, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka's Bashundhara Residential Area. She was later admitted to a private hospital in Tejgaon.

Papia Sarwar's condition became critical last night, prompting doctors to place her on a ventilator, said the source.

Her husband, Sarwar Alam, said her janaza will be held following the Jumma prayers today. Later, she will be laid to rest at Banani graveyard.

Papia Sarwar was born on November 21, 1952, in Barishal. A devoted admirer of Rabindranath Tagore from her childhood, Papia joined Chhayanaut in class six. Later, she enrolled at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA). Since 1967, she has been a listed artiste for both radio and television. She was also a student of the Zoology Department at the University of Dhaka.

In 1973, she travelled to India to pursue a degree in Rabindra Sangeet at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan under a scholarship from the Government of India.  She was the first Bangladeshi to receive the scholarship.

Her first audio album, titled after her own name, "Papia Sarwar," was released in 1982.

Throughout her illustrious musical career, Papia Sarwar earned the love of millions of listeners for her renditions of Rabindra Sangeet. Her unique voice and distinctive singing style were widely acclaimed in the music industry.

She also achieved success in modern Bangla songs. One of her most popular songs, "Nai Telephone, Nai Re Pion, Nai Re Telegram", garnered immense popularity among Bangla music enthusiasts.

According to music connoisseurs, Papia Sarwar was highly selective about the modern songs she chose to sing, which explains why her discography contains fewer albums. Her last album, "Akashpane Hath Baralam", was released in 2013.

In 2013, Papia Sarwar was given the Rabindra Award by Bangla Academy. She later received the Bangla Academy Fellowship in 2015. Her remarkable contributions were further acknowledged in 2021 when she was honoured with the Ekushey Padak.

During her long career, she held the position of General Secretary of the National Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad and subsequently served on its Executive Committee. In 1996, this eminent artiste established a musical ensemble called Gitasudha.

She left behind her husband and two children.

Her elder daughter, Zara Sarwar, works as an assistant professor of biology at the College of New Jersey, while her younger daughter, Jisha Sarwar, serves as an executive with the Ministry of Finance in Canada.