Dastango Ankit Chadha dies in drowning incident, cremated in Delhi

Ankit Chadha, a young exponent of Urdu storytelling tradition 'Dastangoi', who passed away recently, was cremated here today at the Lodhi Cremation Grounds.

The writer-storyteller drowned at Uksan lake near Kamshet, around 60km from Pune on Wednesday evening.

He was 30.

"He had gone to Pune for a performance, where he accidentaly fell into the lake while taking an evening stroll," a close relative told PTI.

The body was recovered several hours after the mishap, the relative added.

Chadha was to perform 'Dastan-e-Kabir' at the Gyaan Adab Centre in Pune on May 12.

Known for his unique style of bringing music and stories together, Chadha's storytelling covered the lives and works of historical personalities like Kabir, Dara Shukoh, Amir Khusrau and Rahim.

Writer and director Mahmood Farooqui, who specialises in 'Dastangoi' and had trained Chadha in the art form, termed his untimely death a "devastating loss".

"He was the brightest star and he was charting his own path with storytelling. He was doing some really promising experiments," the "Peepli Live" director said.

Farooqui said Chadha's uniqueness lay in not just being a talented individual but also a "beautiful person", which reflected in his work.

"The kind of engagement with the audience...it could only come from someone with an open heart. You can always find talented people, but to find a talented person with an open heart is a very rare thing," he said.

He added that Chadha's evolution as an artist was an ongoing process.

"He was learning Persian, Urdu. He was constantly working, evolving."
Expressing "disbelief, and a deep deep sadness", he wrote, "Apko naman #AnkitChadha ... you were a good human being, a pure soul. I wish I was half as good as DASTANGO-you as a storyteller. What a legacy you leave behind. God, why did you go to the lake in the evening Ankit? Was it dark? Kya zaroorat thi?"