He breathed his last at around 8.30 pm at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. The 77-year-old Samal was hospitalised four days ago after he fell ill.
Samal is best known for the Ollywood song ‘Michha maya bhara ye sara dunia kehin nuhen apanara…’ from the 1978 blockbuster ‘Suna Sansara’.
He had also sung the devotional songs and chhanda. His songs aired on radio and Doordarshan had able to fasten the listeners with music. Especially the song ‘Jasomati janani go mara nahin au’ was the best ever song he had ever sung on the AIR.
As a bureaucrat, Samal had served people holding several key posts in the State government. He was also appointed as the Secretary of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi.
With the departure of the soul, gloom spread over the entire Odia music industry.
Prasanta Patnaik