On Wednesday, Neil Nongkynrih, the founder and music director of Shillong Chamber Choir, died in a Mumbai hospital. He was 51 years old at the time.
“Neil was unwell for quite some time,” PBO Warjri, Nongkynrih’s brother-in-law, stated. He’d travelled to Mumbai in order to make an album.”
His family is preparing to transport his mortal remains to Shillong.
Conrad Sangma, the Chief Minister, expressed his condolences for Nongkynrih’s death.
CM Sangma posted on his official Twitter handle which said, “I am saddened beyond words by the sudden demise of Padma Shri Neil Nongkynrih, founder of the famous Shillong Chamber Choir. He was a mentor to the country’s finest choir that serenaded crowds wherever they performed. We have lost a gem today.”
According to the Shillong Chamber Choir, “Uncle Neil,” as he was affectionately called, was the life force of their universe.
“A towering personality whose music reached the ears of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ambassadors, and some of the largest personalities in sports, culture, business, music, and film through the choir he so tenderly fostered,” the Shillong Chamber Choir said in a statement.
Shri Neil Nongkynrih’s contribution and achievement
He gave classic Indian film music a new twist, with his clever arrangements delighting millions of listeners in India, drawing on the music of his homeland and his own broad knowledge in the Western classical tradition.
He guided his choir to victory on India’s Got Talent in 2010, catapulting the Shillong group to national and worldwide fame.
He was given the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, in 2015.
