Ludhiana mourns singing son's sudden loss

Ludhiana, Jul 30 (UNI) Grief-struck mourners continued to pour in at the Shashtri Nagar residence of Ishmeet Singh to convey condolences on the sudden demise of the promising teenage singer even as his parents and elder sister were trying to come to terms with their great loss.

Ishmeet, who would have turned 20 on August 3 this year, died due to drowning in a swimming pool at a Male resort last night where he had gone on a promotional event of a musical company.

While his mother Amrit Kaur was in a shock since the family received the news telephonically, his elder sister Sukhmeet Kaur was besides herself with grief.

Ishmeet's father Gurpinder Pal Singh, had a dazed look as he went about stoically answering numerous telephone calla and received VIPs who steadily trooped in to pay tributes to his popular son.

While neighbours, relatives, fans and friends thronged around the house, many prominent leaders including Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal, SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, Luhiana MP Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, Ludhiana Mayor Hakim Singh Giaspura, DC Sumer Singh Gurjar and SSP R K Jaiswal visited the family to share their grief.

Meanwhile, Guru Nanak Public school where Ishmeet had studied, remained closed today as a mark of respect to its favourite student. Its principal, R S Gill said he was shocked by the news of sudden demise of the young singing star, who had been the life of school functins for years.

Govenment College for Boys, where Ishmeet had done his B Com first year before joining a Mumbai college, held a condolence meeting in memory of their star student.

Ishmeet, though a former student, was actively involved with the preparations of the Youth festival to be held soon. His fellow students recalled with moist eyes that even after acquiring fame, Ismeet remained untouched by the glamour and was as friendly and accesible as ever.

The ''spirit of the fest is now gone with his sudden demise, '' they felt.

Mr S chawala and Mrs Radhika Jetwani who had accompanied him to Mumbai during the Star Voice of India contest, said Ismeet was like a son to them and his death had left a great vacuum in their lives.

The head jathhedar of the famous Dukhnivaran Sahib Gurdwara Prithpal Singh was moved to tears as he reminisced that he had held special 'ardaas' for Ishmeet's victory for the contest and as soon as he came back with the title, Ismeet paid his obeisance and sang hymns in the shrine.

''I could never imagine that a unfortunate day would come when I would have say a prayer for the peace for the soul of the young boy who sang so soulfully in the same shrine on many a occasion,'' the Jathhedar said.

A senior doctor of the prominent Dayanand Medical College, Dr R S Chheena, who conveyed the condolences on behalf of the institutes, said Ishmeet used to give scintillating performancs at the functions and the hospital staff had plunged in grief on hearing the news of his sudden demise.

Ishmeet's body was expected here late tonight or early tomorrow morning, depending upon the weather condition, and cremation was scheduled for 1600 Hrs at Model Town Extension cremation ground tomorrow.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic demise of Ishmeet, had made special arrangements for the body to be flown here from Delhi.

UNI XC-JN MMS1836