Veteran actor Hemanta Das, popularly known as the Ashok Kumar of Oriya cinema, died Tuesday, family friends said. He was 76.

Das had lost his wife and son long ago. The death took place in Khamaranga, his village in the district of Cuttack, some 30 km from here.

Das had acted in more than 40 Oriya movies.

Some of the films he featured in include 'Sesa Srabana', 'Jajabara', 'Chilika Tire', 'Nirab Jhada', 'Danda Balunga' and 'Hakima Babu'. He also played a role in Hindi film 'Shodh' that won a national award in 1979.

'His death is a great loss to the Oriya film industry,' film critic Dilip Hali told IANS.

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Philadelphia Soul singer who was well known for his love ballads such as “Turn Off the Lights” and “Love TKO”, Teddy Pendergrass passed away yesterday at the age of 59 after a challenging recovery from colon cancer surgery. He was 59 years old.

He died at a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was born.

He started as a drummer, but soon began to sing lead after the group heard his powerful voice.
In 1972, Pendergrass’s baritone could be heard on the classic Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes song “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.”

The song became a No. 1 hit across the country and led Pendergrass to many other hits and accolades.
After going solo, Pendergrass received several Grammy nominations, Billboard’s 1977 Pop Album New Artist Award and an American Music Award for best R&B performer of 1978.

In 1982, Pendergrass was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed. But Pendergrass returned to the studio in 1984 in his wheelchair to record an album.

Before his death, Pendergrass was working on a musical documenting his life, called “I Am Who I Am.”

His son Teddy Pendergrass II, thanks all the fans of his father’s music and says he will live on through his songs. He says the singer was loved by friends and family worldwide.

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