World famous Pandwani artist Teejan Bai has passed away. He is known as the immortal storyteller of the folk culture of Chhattisgarh. He took this art not only to the country but also to foreign countries. She breathed her last after a prolonged illness at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur. She was 70 years old. He was undergoing treatment since May 27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over his demise.
PM Modi said in a social media post that he is extremely saddened by the demise of famous Pandwani singer Teejan Bai ji. He gave this folk art of Chhattisgarh a unique identity across the world with his grand presentation. His demise is an irreparable loss to the world of art and culture. My condolences are with his family and fans in this hour of mourning. Om Shanti!
Deeply saddened by the demise of famous Pandwani singer Teejan Bai ji. He gave this folk art of Chhattisgarh a unique identity across the world with his grand presentation. His demise is an irreparable loss to the world of art and culture. In this hour of grief, my condolences to his family and
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2026
CM had expressed concern
A day before, CM Vishnu Dev Sai had expressed concern over his hospitalization. He wrote on the social media post, ‘The news of the ill health of the immortal legend of Chhattisgarh’s folk culture, Padma Vibhushan awardee and world famous Pandwani artist Teejan Bai ji is extremely worrying. He is currently undergoing treatment in the Medical ICU of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur.
Received major civil honors like Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan
Teejan Bai, resident of Durg district, was considered the greatest artist of ‘Pandwani’. Pandwani is a traditional folk art of Chhattisgarh, in which the stories of the Indian epic Mahabharata are presented in a dramatic style with recitation, songs and music. Known for her powerful voice, tremendous stage presence and soulful presentation, Teejan Bai transformed Pandwani from a regional folk tradition to an internationally appreciated art form.
His performances in India and abroad enthralled the audiences and recognized him as one of the most famous folk artistes of the country. For his extraordinary contribution to Indian folk arts, he was awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and India’s second highest civilian award ‘Padma Vibhushan’.
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