Veteran Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj also known as Brijmohan Mishra has passed away at the age of 83 due to cardiac arrest. Pandit Birju Maharaj learned the nuances of music and dance from a room in Lucknow. He had gained popularity not only in the country but also abroad.
His family has given information about the death of Pandit Birju Maharaj through a social media post. It is with great sadness to inform that our dearest member of the family, Pandit Birju Maharaj Ji has passed away. On January 17, 2022, the great soul left for his heavenly abode. Praying for the departed soul - Maharaj family.
Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj passes away, says his relative
— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2022
(File photo) pic.twitter.com/jabPHX1cly
"He was with us when this happened. He had his dinner and we were playing 'antakshari' because he loved old music. He was lying down... and suddenly his breathing became uneven. We think it was cardiac arrest as he was also a heart patient. This happened between 12.15 and 12.30 am. It must have been just a minute or so. We rushed to the hospital but unfortunately, we could not save him. He died before reaching the hospital," Birju Maharaj's granddaughter Ragini, a Kathak dancer herself, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.