Fans demand conversion of Kishore Kumar’s ancestral house into national heritage

Kishore Kumar fans paid tribute to the legendary late singer on his birth anniversary. (Photo: Express Archive)

“Kishore da was a Bharat Ratna in its own sense. Instead, his dilapidated house should be converted into national heritage,” said Kishore Prerna Manch’s spokesman Sunil Jain when asked about the demand to confer India’s highest civilian award on the versatile singer-actor.

Kishore Kumar was born in Khandwa town on August 4, 1929.

The 200-year-old property lies in a dilapidated condition because of a dispute among the Ganguly (original surname of the famous actor brothers Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar and Anoop Kumar) family members, sources associated with the Ganguly House in Bombay Bazar area of Khandwa town said.

Kishore Kumar passed away on October 13, 1987. (Photo: Express Archive)

Among fans, Pune-based actor-director Jagdish Gayakwad, who visits Khandwa every year on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Kumar, said, “I have grown up hearing and singing Kishore Da’s songs and I earn my bread and butter by singing his songs.”

A large number of fans also turned up at the samadhi memorial to pay their respects.

Khandwa collector Anay Dwivedi and superintendent of police Vivek Singh also offered floral tributes.