Music composer and singer Bappi Lahiri has passed away at the age of 69 in Mumbai. He had been in hospital for a month being treated for multiple health issues and died of sleep apnea, reports news agency PTI. Bappi Da, as he was known fondly, will be cremated tomorrow after the arrival of son Bappa from USA. A statement from his family reads: "It's a deeply sad moment for us. Our beloved Bappi Da has left for heavenly abode last midnight. The cremation will take on arrival of Bappa From LA tomorrow mid-morning. We are seeking love and blessings for his soul."
Soon after news of his death went viral, a number of celebs took to their social media handles to pen moving tributes to the music legend. Veteran actor Chiranjeevi posted a throwback with the legend and wrote: "Deeply anguished at the demise of legendary music director and singer Bappi Lahiri. I had a great association with Bappi da. He gave numerous chartbusters for me, which contributed immensely to my films popularity. He will always be remembered for his unique style and his great enthusiasm for life which reflected in his music. My heartfelt condolences to all his near and dear."Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar wrote: "Really enjoyed Bappi Da's music, especially "yaad aa raha hai" - heard it several times in the dressing room. The range of his talent was truly amazing. Aap hamesha hume yaad rahoge Bappi da."Bappi Lahiri is credited as a pioneer of disco music in Bollywood. His most popular tracks were from the films Disco Dancer, Dance Dance and Namak Halaal. He composed and sang iconic songs like Koi Yaha Naache Naache from Disco Dancer and Pyar Bina Chain Kaha from Saheb, to name a few. Other than his music, Bappi Lahiri was known for his signature style of wearing gold chains and sunglasses.