MOHALI– The familiar notes of Sardaari and Kangani, once a fixture at village melas and café playlists, have fallen silent. Rajvir Jawanda, the Punjabi singer and actor with a rugged tone that married folk roots to modern rhythms, died yesterday at 10:55 a.m. at Fortis Hospital, Mohali.
He was 35. He suffered multiple organ failure after a 12-day fight with injuries from a motorcycle crash. From Ludhiana to London, fans held candlelight vigils, posted tearful tributes, and sang his songs in unison. Punjab is mourning a voice that many felt carried its grit and grace.
The crash happened on 27 September near Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, during a group ride through the foggy foothills. Riding was his great love off stage. His social media was filled with clips of him taking on sharp bends with his turban in the wind.
According to witnesses, he hit stray cattle on a poorly lit stretch. His high-end bike slid and flipped. He suffered severe head trauma, spinal fractures, and internal injuries. He was taken to a local hospital, then airlifted to Mohali. He went into cardiac arrest on the way. Doctors placed him on life support as his family kept vigil by his bedside.
For almost two weeks, people waited and prayed. Updates from the ICU remained bleak, with doctors reporting minimal brain activity. Neurologists worked through the night while #PrayForRajvir drew thousands of messages.
Fans of Rajvir Jawanda Mourn
A hospital spokesperson said the fight he put up was remarkable, but the injuries were too severe. His wife, who had urged him on the phone not to ride that day, stayed with him until the end. Her private grief played out against a public wave of sorrow.
His village, Pona in Jagraon tehsil, turned into a sea of white turbans and black armbands. By midday, crowds filled the lanes, lighting diyas under a portrait of him in a leather jacket with an acoustic guitar.
“He was our son and our brother, the reason we danced at weddings and cried at farewells,” said Harpreet Kaur, a schoolteacher from Moga, holding a worn concert poster. Nearby, teenagers chalked lines from Mera Dil on the gurdwara wall: “Tera bin jeena nahin.”
Social media turned into a collective mourning space. #RIPRajvirJawanda trended worldwide, with more than two million mentions in a day. From Toronto’s Punjabi districts to fan meets in Delhi and beyond, clips of his shows played on loop alongside messages of grief. Gippy Grewal, who often shared the stage with him, wrote of waking to unbearable news and called him a brother.
A backstage photo of the two smiling drew a storm of replies. Ammy Virk, his co-star in the 2019 film Jind Jaan, called the loss monumental. He shared funeral details for 11 a.m. today at a cremation ground in Ludhiana, inviting fans to honour Rajvir with folk songs, not only with tears.
The Punjabi film and music fraternity, known for its fierce rivalries, set differences aside. Neeru Bajwa posted a black-and-white memory and sent condolences to the family. Sonam Bajwa, Tarsem Jassar, Binnu Dhillon, and Karamjit Anmol followed with tributes, sharing late-night studio clips, jamming sessions, and his quick laugh that lifted any room.
“He held people together,” said Jassar on Instagram Live, voice shaking. “Pure talent, no ego. Punjabi music feels orphaned.” Sargun Mehta added her voice from the Hindi film circle, saying his light will endure.
Diljit Dosanjh Gives Tribute
Soon after the crash, Diljit Dosanjh paused a Hong Kong concert to lead a prayer for him. The clip went viral and sparked louder demands for safer roads. His death has brought anger over broken highways, stray animals on the carriageway, and weak enforcement for riders.
“He wore full gear and rode with care, stray cattle still took him,” wrote Nav Kandola on X, tagging Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. Petitions calling for fencing, better lighting, and laws to manage stray animals gathered pace under #JusticeForRajvir.
Leaders joined the chorus. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann called it a permanent loss for music and promised support to the family. Manpreet Singh Badal wrote of a gifted artist and a beloved Punjabi voice. AAP’s Manish Sisodia said his songs will beat on in Punjab’s heart. MP Malvinder Singh Kang called it an irreplaceable gap in the state’s culture.
He was born in Ludhiana to a modest family, his father a retired policeman. Rajvir tried the police line for a short time before music took over. He left college and chased his sound. His 2015 debut, Rabb Karke, blew up online.
More hits followed, including Surname, Kamla, Zor, Kali Jawande Di, and the crowd favourite Do Ni Sajna. He blended rustic stories with city swagger and won over farmers, students, and the diaspora.
Rajvir Jawanda Asleep Under the Stars
During the 2020 farmers’ protests, he spent nights at Delhi’s borders, singing folk anthems to lift spirits. He urged followers on Instagram to stand up and show up. Away from the lights, he loved tents and long rides, choosing open skies over hotel suites. His songs told the same story, grounded but free.
Fans are remembering the person behind the star. “He would stop mid-show to hug a crying auntie,” wrote Rosie Kaur from the UK, in a post that touched thousands.
In Canada, where he toured in 2022, radio host Harjinder Gill shared an old interview and a soft goodbye. Pulkit Sharma from Ludhiana called him humble and generous. A Toronto fan said his music got her through heartbreak, and that this news broke her again.
As Pona wakes today, the funeral pyre will burn in the crisp October air, but his spark remains. Streams of his catalogue have soared, with Khush Reha Kar rising again.
A G Media Group tribute stitched together clips of him smiling with his guitar, singing of wild love and open roads. “He slept under the stars and chased horizons,” the caption read. “Now he rides beyond.”
For many, Rajvir Jawanda was more than a playlist. He was the growl of a bike on a dusty lane, the sting of goodbye, and the roar of a crowd calling for justice. In the quiet he leaves behind, Punjab sings louder, cries harder, and promises safer roads for all. Waheguru ji, grant peace to his soul, and strength to those who loved him.
