JHAPA, July 26: A gifted singer of folk songs, Laxmi Prasad (LP) Joshi, has passed away. He was 88. Joshi had fallen unconscious at his house in Damak-1 on Thursday evening and was rushed to the local Lifeline Hospital where he breathed his last under treatment.
Born in 1993 BS in Dhankuta Bazaar, he was given the title 'Lokgeetaka Samrat (Emperor of Folk Songs)' from the people's level. Some of the hit folk songs he sang are 'Riting Riting Nabajau Binayo', 'Wollo Kholo Pallo Kholo, Kamilako Golo Hajura', 'Nigalo Gharima Chyakhura Nachyo', and the all-time hit 'Kanchhi Matyang Tyang'.
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The songs he chose were mostly the typical folk songs sung in the eastern part of the country. The song with the title 'Riting Riting Nabajau Binayo' was recorded in 2017 BS. Joshi was also an artist and an actor.
He has played the leading male character alongside leading actress Bhuwan Chand in the movie' Hijo, Aja, Bholi'. Joshi acted in nine films.
Punya Prasad Kharel, chairperson of the Susheli Sahitya Pratishthan, a literary organization, said Joshi's demise has caused an irreparable loss to the Nepali folk song sector. According to Kharel, Joshi visited scores of villages and the countryside in search of the typical original folk songs.
Joshi's very first song recorded in Radio Nepal is 'Nepal Ko Maya'. He contributed to the enrichment of the Nepali folk songs sector and also won numerous awards within the country and abroad.
