In a sad state of affairs, Odia singer Murali Mohapatra has passed away at the age of 59. He died while performing at a Durga Puja event in Koraput district of Odisha. Mohapatra, who was reportedly unwell, suddenly sat down on a chair on the stage after singing a few songs at the event. When taken to a hospital, he was declared dead on arrival.
Later, his brother Bibhuti Prasad Mohapatra informed that Mohapatra had suffered a heart attack. After learning about Mohapatra's demise, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter and paid his condolences. "Saddened to know about the demise of popular singer Murali Mohapatra. His sweet voice will always ignite the hearts of listeners. May his soul rest in peace. My condolence to his family," Patnaik tweeted in Odia.
Mohapatra was called the 'Akshaya Mohanty of Jeypore' as he used to emulate the singing style of the late legendary Odia singer, songwriter and composer, Akshaya Mohanty. He was also a government employee working at the office of the Jeypore sub-collector. He was set to retire from service nine months later.
The incident reminded people of singer KK’s death at a hotel after a concert in Kolkata earlier this year.
-with ANI inputs
