Veteran singer and musician Yogesh Vaidya passed away on Thursday. He was 77.

According to the family, Vaidya breathed his last at 12:30am on Friday while being rushed to the Sundhara-based Kathmandu Valley Hospital.

His family said the singer, who had been suffering from diabetes for a long time, had some health issues in the afternoon and was rushed to the hospital after his condition further deteriorated at night.

Vaidya, who underwent a kidney transplant recently, had some issues of paralysis as well.

Vaidya has lent his voice to numerous Nepali and Nepal Bhasa songs with ‘Sapana Bhulaye Saara’, ‘Mero Aanshumaa Nahanse’ and ‘Nepal Mero Timilai Upahar Bhayo’ being some of his popular numbers.

Born at Nardevi of Kathmandu in 2003 BS, Vaidya spent 33 years of life in civil service and was a joint secretary when he retired in 2005. Vaidya had completed his master’s degree in food and nutrition from Ghent University, Belgium.

He won the first prize from the National Song Conference, the Chhinnalata Song Prize and several other awards during his musical and literary careers.

Vaidya is survived by two daughters and a son.

The body will be kept at the Nepal Academy of Music and Drama in Naxal for tributes and the cementation rites will be performed at Pashupati Aryaghat in the afternoon.