Punjabi singer and actor Rajvir Jawanda has died at the age of 35, 11 days after suffering severe head and spinal injuries in a motorcycle accident in northern India. He lost control of his bike after colliding with stray cattle on a road in Himachal Pradesh on 27 September, and died early on Wednesday at Fortis Hospital in Mohali, Punjab.
According to officials, Jawanda was taken first to a local hospital before being transferred to Mohali in an 'extremely critical' condition. He was admitted to intensive care, but doctors said his neurological activity had remained 'minimal' despite treatment. Police in Solan district, which covers the crash site near Baddi, said initial findings indicated his motorcycle struck stray cattle.
Jawanda was best known for songs such as 'Sardaari', 'Kangani', and 'Do Ni Sajna', which blended traditional Punjabi folk with modern arrangements. He also acted in the 2018 film Subedar Joginder Singh, playing Sepoy Bahadur Singh, and later took his first leading role in Jind Jaan (2019).
News of his death prompted an outpouring of grief from Punjabi artists and politicians. Actor Neeru Bajwa wrote on Instagram that it was 'very painful to lose such a happy and kind person', while comedian Gurpreet Ghuggi posted a photo with the caption: 'Death has won, youth has lost. How will we forget you, little brother?'
Raghav Chadha, a member of parliament for Punjab in India's upper house, said Jawanda's songs 'carried the essence of Punjab's soil and the pride of our youth'. Another MP, Malvinder Singh Kang, described him as a 'beloved' voice of Punjab, saying his passing leaves 'an irreplaceable void'.
A day after the crash, Punjabi music icon Diljit Dosanjh paused his concert in Hong Kong to ask the audience to pray for Jawanda's recovery. In a video shared on social media, Dosanjh said: 'He is a very beautiful singer, Rajvir Veera. Please pray for him.'
