Manna Dey's condition stable, though critical

The condition of 94-year-old legendary singer Manna Dey is stable though critical as he is on life-support system in the intensive care unit (ICU), a spokesman of Narayana Health Hospital here said Monday.

"Mannada's condition is stable now. He is responding to the treatment. His condition has improved compared to yesterday (Sunday). He is in the ICU on life-support system," hospital spokesman K.S. Vasuki told IANS here.

As Dey was admitted to the hospital in his original name Prabodh Chandra Dey, doctors and nurses on duty were unaware that he was Manna Dey, leading to confusion and denial by the hospital that India's famous and popular celluloid singer was battling for life in their hospital.

The nonagenarian multilingual playback singer was admitted to the private hospital on the city's outskirts late Saturday when he complained of breathlessness due to chest infection.

Admitting that Dey had been suffering from chest infection and old age-related health complications for quite some time, Vasuki said the singer had been in and out of the hospital during the past one month.

"As Dey's health condition in old age is a sensitive issue for his family, we are constrained in giving specific information or share details. We have to respect the feelings of his family members and their request for privacy," Vasuki said.

Manna Dey was in the same hospital for about 20 days last month a week after he was honoured by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with the state's Vishesh Maha Sangeet Samman award in recognition of his yeomen service to the world of music and the film industry for over seven decades.

"When Manna Dey's health improved and stabilised in the hospital last month, he was brought home and was under medical supervision with two nurses attending to him round the clock and a doctor visiting him daily to check his vital health parameters," a close family friend told IANS Sunday.

Since Dey shifted to Bangalore from Mumbai a couple of years ago, he has been staying with one of his two daughters at Kalyan Nagar, a northeast suburb of the city.

"Dey's other daughter lives in the US with family. As she is presently unwell, she is unable to come home. But two of his nephews flew in from Kolkata late Sunday to be with the family," the friend noted.

Dey's wife Sulochana Kumaran passed away in January 2012 due to cancer.

Mannada, whose original name was Prabodh Chandra Dey, has to his credit over a record 3,500 songs in an illustrious career spanning seven decades since 1943. His oeuvre boasts of a range of songs -- from romantic numbers to classical to fun songs, he went behind the mike to sing all kind of songs and proved his versatility.

Dey was also honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the country's highest award in the film world, in 2007.