Legendary playback singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, who specialises in Bengali music, died at a Kolkata hospital on Tuesday. She was 90.

The veteran singer was admitted to a Kolkata hospital on Jan 27 with COVID-19 infection and other health complications.

Speaking to a local channel, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Mukhopadhyay.

“She was recovering well and we thought of appointing a senior specialist to look after her. But she left us all. I consider her Bharat Ratna and her loss cannot be fulfilled. This is a loss to Bengal’s culture,” Benerjee said.

Her body would be kept at Kolkata’s Rabindra Sadan from 12 PM onwards on Wednesday and her funeral will be accorded with state honour after the West Bengal CM returns from north Bengal in the evening.

On Jan 25, the 90-year-old singer refused to accept Padma Shri, saying “the award was more deserving of a junior artist and not someone of her stature”.

Mukhopadhyay received Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian honour of the Indian state of West Bengal in 2011.

She also won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her songs in the films Jay Jayanti and Nishi Padma in the year 1970.