By Asheesh Poddar
There are voices that never truly fade. Though the singer may no longer be with us, the melodies continue to echo in countless hearts. Such is the enduring legacy of Ashok Kumar, affectionately remembered across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as the rare ‘Voice of Mukesh’. As 20 July 2026 marks his first heavenly birthday, the Islands fondly remember a gifted artiste whose soulful renditions enriched their cultural landscape for decades.
Ashok Kumar’s love for music was deeply rooted in timeless Hindi film melodies. In his early musical years, he was an ardent admirer of the legendary Kishore Kumar and passionately rendered his evergreen melodies. A defining chapter in his musical journey began with his association with Indradhanush Sangeet Sangatthan, founded in 1989. It was there that his natural voice was found to bear a striking resemblance to that of the legendary Mukesh Ji, leading him to embrace the latter’s timeless songs. The immense admiration he received from audiences transformed the course of his musical life. What began as an exploration soon blossomed into a lifelong musical pursuit, and over the years he became synonymous with Mukesh’s evergreen melodies, performing them at numerous concerts and cultural programmes across the Islands and eventually earning the affectionate title of the Andaman’s “Voice of Mukesh”.
Among the Mukesh classics most closely associated with him were “Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Din,” “Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye,” “Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar,” and “Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan,” songs that audiences eagerly awaited at every performance. Though Mukesh Ji became the defining inspiration of his musical career, Ashok Kumar’s admiration for Kishore Kumar always remained undiminished. During musical programmes, he would often request singers specialising in Kishore Kumar’s repertoire to render favourites such as ‘Aadmi Jo Kehta Hai’ and ‘Kya Nazare, Kya Sitare,’ reflecting his enduring affection for the legendary singer whose songs had first inspired him.
The affection he commanded was evident on 20 June 2026, when a grand musical tribute in his memory brought together fellow artistes, music lovers and admirers at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Auditorium, Sri Vijaya Puram, where fellow artistes paid homage through the immortal songs of Mukesh Ji and other songs closely associated with Ashok Kumar’s musical journey.
Penning this tribute carries yet another profound significance. Mukesh Ji’s birth anniversary falls just two days after Ashok Kumar’s birthday, on 22 July. This touching coincidence beautifully links the devoted admirer with the legendary singer who inspired the defining chapter of his musical journey. As one remembrance flows into the other, music lovers are reminded of a bond forged through admiration, devotion and timeless melodies.
Although Ashok Kumar bid farewell to this world on 11 April 2026, his voice continues to resonate in the hearts of those who heard him sing. His musical legacy lives on through the timeless songs he so lovingly rendered and through the inspiration he continues to offer lovers of classic Hindi film music.
On this solemn occasion of his first heavenly birthday, the founder of ‘Indradhanush Sangeet Sangatthan’ and ‘The Harmony’ of Jhumurr Socio-Cultural Society, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, join his family, fellow artistes, friends and innumerable admirers in paying reverent homage to a cherished artiste of the Islands. Though his voice has fallen silent, Ashok Kumar will forever be remembered as the ‘Voice That Time Cannot Silence’—a cherished musical son of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands whose melodies and legacy will forever remain an enduring part of the Islands’ rich cultural heritage.