Popular Odia singer Murali Mohapatra dies while singing at Durga Puja event, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik mourns demise

Bhubaneswar: Popular Odia singer Murali Mohapatra is no more. He died while performing at a Durga Puja event in the Koraput district of Odisha. Mohapatra, who was reportedly unwell, suddenly sat down on a chair on the stage after singing a few songs at the event. When taken to a hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. Later, his brother Bibhuti Prasad Mohapatra informed that Mohapatra had suffered a heart attack. He was 59.

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) October 3, 2022

After learning about Mohapatra's demise, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter and paid his condolences. "Saddened to know about the demise of popular singer Murali Mohapatra. His sweet voice will always ignite the hearts of listeners. May his soul rest in peace. My condolence to his family," Patnaik tweeted in Odia.

Mohapatra was called the `Akshaya Mohanty of Jeypore` as he used to emulate the singing style of the late legendary Odia singer, songwriter and composer, Akshaya Mohanty. He was also a government employee working at the office of the Jeypore sub-collector.