Kolkata: Girija Devi, one of the foremost Indian classical singers who was considered the reigning queen of thumri, passed away on Tuesday, according to the state-run All India Radio. She was 88.
Girija Devi, who was conferred the third highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan, was born on May 8, 1929. She was a classical singer of the Seniya and Banaras gharanas whose singing of thumri made her a living legend. Thumri is a genre of semi-classical Indian music. She reportedly died of heart attack. She was suffering from old age ailments. She was admitted to the BM Birla Hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday.