Classical singer Suresh Yankarran dies

ANOTHER member of the Yankarran family has died.

Suresh Yankarran, 67, from Brickfield, Waterloo in Carapichaima, died on Sunday at 8.30pm at the San Fernando General Hospital.

On January 2, 2017, Suresh's brother, Anand Yankarran, died of cardiac arrest. The two singers were the sons of the legendary singer Isaac Yankaran (deceased) and Moonima Yankarran of Freeport.

Suresh, the husband of Amelia Yankarran, was the father of eight children.

His daughter Nirmala said her father died of cardiac arrest, but had suffered two strokes recently and had had to quit singing after surgery to his throat two years ago.

"He was a man of his word. He would always try to meet the demand for classical songs in the country," Nirmala said. She said that like the other Yankarran brothers, Anand and Sham (both deceased), Ashook and Rakesh, he loved to present the songs recorded by their father.

A former chutney monarch, Rakesh is known as the Raja (king) of classical songs in TT. He said it is a very sad day for him as he remembers his childhood days when his elder brother would sing and encouraged him to sing as well.

"He did us proud as a Yankarran and he has definitely left a void in the Yakarran family as well as in the world of classical singing in the country," Rakesh said.

The Yankarran family now consists of him, his brother Ashook and two sisters, Surekha and Devika Yankarran. All four Yankarrans are well-established singers.