Popular playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam died on Friday following COVID-19 complications. He was 74.
His son SP Charan told the media, “SPB belongs to everyone. He will live on in his songs. My dad passed away at 1.04 pm,” Indian Express quoted.
He had been fighting COVID-19 for over a month. MGM Healthcare, the hospital treating him, had on Thursday said that the singer’s condition was critical and he was on life support is extremely critical.
Balasubrahmanyam, popularly known as SPB, was admitted to the hospital with mild COVID-19 symptoms on August 5.
“His condition in the last 24 hours has deteriorated further warranting maximal life support and he is extremely critical,” Assistant Director (Medical Services), MGM Healthcare, Dr Anuradha Baskaran said in a statement on Thursday.
The singer’s condition deteriorated for the first time on August 13 late night and he was put on life support and moved to the Intensive Care Unit.
On August 19, he was put on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) besides ventilator.
Fans and celebrities had been tweeting out prayers for his early recovery.
Towards the end of August, the singer underwent passive physiotherapy and later “actively participated in physiotherapy” and he was fully awake and responsive during that phase, PTI reported.
On September 3, the hospital had said that he was stable, conscious, responsive and continued to show clinical progress and days later it said his condition warranted an extended stay in the ICU requiring ECMO and ventilator support.
(With PTI inputs)