'India loses a legend.' PM, FM mourn Birju Maharaj; Subhash Ghai tweets a throwback moment

India woke up to the news of the death of Kathak legend Pandit Birju Maharaj on Monday. The doyen of Kathak was 83 when he suffered a heart attack on Sunday late at night at his home in Delhi. Maharaj was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.

After the news broke out, actors, musicians, artists and politicians expressed grief and shared their thoughts about the vast contribution of the veteran dancer. He was fondly known as Maharaj Ji.

Mourning the loss of the doyen, President Ram Nath Kovind said that his passing "marks the end of an era." The official Twitter handle of the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that the artiste's demise leaves a deep void in the Indian music domain.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi while expressing grief said that Maharaj gave Indian dance and art a special recognition across the world, and called it an "irreparable loss to the art world." Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condoling the death of the legend said that India lost a legend of performing arts. The finance minister added that Maharaj took forward traditions, held through generations with great elan.
Former Assam CM and Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took to Twitter to mourn the death of the dancer. "A virtuoso, his passing away leaves a great void in the cultural arena of India," Sonowal said in his tweet.
BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, said that the passing away of Maharaj was an irreparable loss to the entire art fraternity and marked the end of an era of perfection and grace.
Renowned playback singer Adnan Sami said, "We have lost an unparalleled institution in the field of the performing arts. He has influenced many generations through his genius."
German-Indian actress Suzanner Bernert condoled the death saying it was was a big loss.
MP Gaurav Gogoi tweeted expressing gratitude for Maharaj's contribution to Indian dance and culture.
Renowned filmmaker Subhash Ghai shared an anecdote from his college days while condoling the legend's death.
Besides keeping the tradition of Kathak alive, Maharaj believed that all art forms deserved recognition at the highest level. The doyen was a respectable figure in pop culture. He has collaborated with a wide range of artists from across all art forms. Maharaj is also credited for training Bollywood actresses like Madhuri Dixit and Deepika Padukone.