Amber Gurung Nepali musician passes away

Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, June 7: Amber Gurung, the composer of the Nepal's national anthem, breathed his last in Kathmandu today. He was 78.

Singer Gagan Gurung, a close friend of Amber, said: "I received a call from Kathmandu early this morning about the sad demise of my friend and guru Amber. ... Amber Gurung has been immortalised through his deed." Gurung said Amber was born in Kalimpong and raised here. "Every great singer from Darjeeling was his disciple," he said.

Amber's fame spread after he composed and sang Nepali poet Agam Singh Giri's " Nau lakh tara" (nine lakh stars).

In 1962, he was appointed a director in the state information and cultural department's folk artist section. He left for Nepal in 1969 on the invitation of King Mahendra.

Amber Gurung

When monarchy was abolished and a new government was formed in Nepal, Amber composed the country's national anthem, " Sayaun thunga phoolka hami" (of a hundred flowers).

Tomorrow, the GTA will hold a memorial service at the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan here at 11.30am.

Telegraph

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