Prashant Tamang, Darjeeling’s Indian Idol champ whose win boosted Gorkhaland stir, dies at 43
Times of India | 12 January 2026
DARJEELING: Prashant Tamang, the singer from Darjeeling who was crowned Indian Idol in 2007, a feat that rede-fined the hills’ socio-political landscape and led to a renewed demand for Gorkhaland, died of cardiac arrest at his Delhi home on Sunday morning. He was 43.
The family wants to bring the mortal remains back to Darjeeling for the last rites.
According to his family, Tamang felt unwell around 6am on Sunday but was reluctant to seek medical help. He was later taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.
Tamang, from Too-ngsoong in Darjeeling, had been living in Delhi’s Janakpuri with wife Geeta Thapa and their three-year-old daughter Ariah Tamang. He was born on Jan 4, 1983, to Rupa and Madan Tamang. Following his father’s death in an accident, Tamang took his place in Kolkata Police as a constable. Due to his musical skills, he joined the orchestra of the city police.
“He had gone to Dubai for a show and returned on Dec 27. He travelled to Arunachal Pradesh on Jan 7 and was back in Delhi the next day. We spoke over a video call that day — it was our last talk,” sister Anupama Gurung said.
He sent me videos of his show and appeared to be in good health,” said sister Anupama Gurung. “A day before his death, he spent time playing with his daughter and was with the family.”
Anupama said the family was travelling to Delhi to complete the formalities. “His wife called this morning and said Prashant did not want to go to the hospital and preferred to sleep. He had died by the time he was taken to hospital. His team from Paatal Lok (the singer had acted in the second season of the OTT series) is helping with the arrangements to bring his body to Darjeeling. We expect to bring him home tomorrow,” she said.CM Mamata Banerjee mourned the “sudden and untimely” of Prashant. “His connections to our Darjeeling hills and his past association with the Kolkata Police made him especially beloved to us here in Bengal. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the countless fans who admired him,” she wrote on X.
BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said, “Prashant Tamang Ji introduced Nepali songs and music on a broad scale not only to the Gorkhas of India but to the world at large.”
Prashant’s victory in Indian Idol Season 3 in 2007 — secured with an unprecedented 70 million audience votes — turned him into a powerful symbol of cultural pride in the hills, reshaping the socio-political landscape of Darjeeling and contributing to the rise of Bimal Gurung as a prominent political figure.
At the time, Gurung was a senior neta in Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), led by Subash Ghising. Gurung spearheaded an extensive campaign across the hills for Prashant during the contest. Funds were raised and booths set up in towns and villages for supporters to text their votes in favour of Prashant to the event organisers.
After Prashant won the title, a stray comment by a Delhi-based RJ on an FM channel demeaning the Gorkhas triggered violent protests in Darjeeling and Siliguri, which, in turn, intensified the Gorkhaland agitation.
Capitalising on the groundswell of support, Gurung broke away from GNLF to form Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which soon emerged as the dominant political force in the hills. Prashant Tamang’s fan clubs were converted into GJM offices and their members were absorbed into the party, transforming cultural enthusiasm into a political movement.
Beyond music, Prashant also built a career in cinema and TV. He made his film debut in the 2010 Nepali blockbuster Gorkha Paltan, in which he also worked as a playback singer. Later, he earned OTT acclaim for acting as a cold-blooded assassin, Daniel Acho, in Paatal Lok 2. He also acted in the upcoming Salman Khan-starrer Battle of Galwan.