Fans and artists give tribute to late Nepalese singer-actor Rabin Tamang

Kathmandu [Nepal], July 9 (ANI): Nepalese singer and actor Rabin Tamang, who is known for playing the role of Yama Nadu in the web series ‘The Last Hour’, and for his rock band Robin and The New Revolution, passed away on July 4 at the age of 60.

Chetan Sapkota, President of Musicians Association of Nepal spoke to ANI about his contribution and how his songs became the inspiration for all age groups.
“He was a source of inspiration for us. Perspective towards the creation of his (Tamang) varies on the basis of age group and also he also was a good actor. He is a rock star. His songs are about nation, children, love; he indeed is a revolutionary singer,” Chetan Sapkota, President of Musicians Association of Nepal told ANI. His body was kept at the Nepal Academy of Music and Drama.

On Sunday, hundreds of fans and fellow singers bid adieu to the late artist.

Tamang had made a name for himself as a notable performer both on stage and in the movies.

‘Dam Maro Dam,’ ‘Keta Keti,’ and ‘Bhool Ma Bhulyo’ are some of Tamang’s most well-known songs over the years, and they are primarily loved by the younger generation.

In the 2013 film ‘Chhadke’, Tamang played the role of Chewang, which helped him develop a new persona as an actor. Tamang has since appeared in more than a dozen Nepali dramas, such as ‘Chiso Astray’, ‘Mukuta’, ‘Naka’, and ‘Chhadke-2’.

Born to Nepali parents in Singapore on April 17, 1963, Tamang was the youngest of five siblings of a British Army family. His childhood and youth were spent in several countries like Hong Kong, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and the UK, among others.

The legendary rock star did Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada before he came back to Nepal in 1996 for the first time. It was the same year when he formed a band named Robin N’ Looza in 1996 formally kick-starting musical journey back in the Himalayan Nation.

The band broke in 2005, and in 2006 he started another band called Robin and the New Revolution. ‘Keta Keti’, the band’s 2006 album, was well-received by audiences. 2019 saw the release of ‘Muglan’, their last album. Other albums that were released by the band included ‘13000’ and ‘Hamro Desh’. One of his well-known songs, ‘Bhool Ma Bhulyo’, discusses the sociopolitical situation in Nepal.

Tamang also performed English songs like ‘Shine on Me’. Equally popular was their rendition of the Hindi number ‘Dum Maro Dum’, originally sung by Asha Bhosle, along with covering Nepali classics like J’ati Maya Laye Pani’ (Arun Thapa) and ‘Chiso Chiso Hawa Ma’ (Danny Danzongpa).

In his later years, Tamang was drawn to the film industry in addition to music. Among others, he has appeared in the movie ‘Chhadke’ (2013), ‘Mukhauta’ (2014), ‘Naaka’ (2018), and ‘Chiso Ashtray’ (2022). In the Hindi television series, ‘The Last Hour’ (2021), he also played the character of Yama Nadu.