Famous folk singer LP Joshi (Lakshmi Prasad Joshi) passed away at the age of 88. According to his family sources, Joshi died in Jhapa on Thursday evening while being taken to a hospital in Virtamod.
Born in Dhankuta-6, Beach Bazaar in 1933, Joshi dedicated his life to the field of folk culture. On the evening of his death, he had dinner with his family and was in normal condition until he suddenly fell ill and fainted at his house in Damak, Jhapa. He was declared dead soon after arriving at the hospital. Poet Dhankute Kancha, a close friend, mentioned that Joshi had called him earlier that day at 10 am and had a normal conversation.
Joshi, the sixth child among seven brothers and five sisters, showed an early interest in music and football. Recently, Joshi was awarded an honorary doctorate by an Indian university and was honored by the President of Nepal last month.
Apart from managing his diabetes, Joshi had no significant health issues. He recorded 45 songs for Radio Nepal, many of which are still popular today. His first recording in 2013 featured the song “Nepalko Maya, Nepal Kasto Chha.” Most of his recordings were made before 2020, and his collaborations with folk poet Keshari Dharmaraj Thapa dominated Radio Nepal from 2022 to 2029.
Joshi and Thapa began exploring traditional village songs together in 2011, and one of their notable collections included the song “Reiting Reiting…Bol.” In 1996, he released an album titled “Riting Riting” with Music Nepal. Another beloved song by Joshi was “Vallo Kholo Ho Pallo Kholo Kamilako Golo Kere…,” which he once performed for King Mahendra in 2019.
Joshi was adept at playing the harmonium and tabla. Due to a shortage of singers and cultural workers in his home district of Dhankuta, he traveled to places like Chitwan and the capital, but he ultimately settled in Damak, Jhapa, where he devoted himself to his musical pursuits.
