Celebrity singer Ishmeet Singh drowns in pool

{image-Ishmeet Singh_30072008.jpg news.oneindia.in}New Delhi, Jul 30: In a shocking piece of news for the Indian music industry, Ishmeet Singh, winner of the popular 'Voice of India' reality show on Star Plus, died in Maladives on Tuesday, July , reports emanating from the tourist town said.

The 19 year old, who had won the inaugural edition of the Voice of India reality show last year beating his closest rival Harshit Saxena, drowned in the swimming pool of his hotel Chaaya Island Dhonveli in North Male, a report appearing in 'Madhu News' a Maldives website said. Hailing from Ludhiana in Punjab, Ishmeet Punjab had arrived in Male' on Wednesday, July 30, to perform in the Star Voice of Maldives, show to be held on August 1, the report said. According to 'Minivan News', an independent news agency in the Maldives, the 19-year old pop singer was with friends when he entered the swimming pool despite being unable to swim, the news agency quoted assistant manager of the hotel Marlon Robert as saying.

The incident happened around 5.15pm, when Ishmeet and his six friends had been at the poolside. None of the boys could swim, Robert said, and they had remained in the children's pool. Ishmeet then told his friends that he was going into the deeper pool, Robert was quoted as saying. He was taken by a resort launch to ADK hospital in Male' following an unsuccessful attempt by the resident doctor to resuscitate him, Robert said.

The agency quoted ADK hospital Managing director Mohamed Affal as saying that Ishmeet had been dead on arrival at the hospital, but said he did not know the cause of death.

Family members were in a state of shock and a pall of gloom descended at the Pakhowal residence of Ishmeet's parents following the news. People from the music industry and his co-finalists on 'Voice of India' expressed shock over his untimely demise.

Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, whom Ishmeet and Harshit had met as contestants and who gave away the winner's trophy, said, ''I feel very sad. He'd come to meet me, sang for me, and I had nudged him to pay a little more attention to classical training.'' Talking to a TV channel, she said, ''he'd told me, 'Mein ek din aapko bahot bada ban ke dikhaoonga' (one day I'll make a big name for myself).'' Choreographer-director Farah Khan, a judge on 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar' where Ishmeet was one of the contestants, speaking to a TV channel, said, ''he was a gentleman, never saying anything bad about any contestant.' I still can't believe he's dead.'' Harshit Saxena, Amul Star Voice of India runner up, said, ''He was like a brother to me. I cannot even comment on what has happened. I cannot believe that he is no longer with us.''

UNI