Arijit Singh’s Roots: From Lahore to Bengal’s Jiaganj

When Arijit Singh announced his retirement from playback singing in January 2026, fans across India were left in disbelief. But behind the headlines lies a deeply personal story rooted in Partition, migration, and the quiet pull of a small riverside town in West Bengal.

A Family Uprooted by Partition

Arijit Singh’s father, Surinder Singh, recently revealed how the family’s journey began near Lahore. Following the Partition of India in 1947, his father and three brothers were forced to leave everything behind, eventually settling in Lalgola in West Bengal. As cloth merchants, they worked hard to rebuild their lives, ultimately finding a home in Jiaganj, a peaceful town in Murshidabad district. Other relatives settled nearby in an area that came to be known as Panjabipara, where the Sikh community established a local gurdwara — a spiritual anchor for the community.

Kirtan, Childhood and Charitable Roots

Arijit Singh, known affectionately as “Shomu” to locals, grew up singing kirtan at the gurdwara alongside his mother on special occasions. Despite achieving national stardom by 2013, he never truly left Jiaganj. His father fondly noted that even Mumbai could not hold him — the emotional pull of his hometown was too strong. Today, Arijit’s children study locally and many of his charitable efforts focus on improving schools and facilities in the town.

Most recently, Arijit Singh released a new independent track titled Raina, composed by Shekhar Ravjiani and written by Priya Saraiya, proving his musical journey is far from over.