Rajvir Jawanda: A jewel discovered too late & lost too soon, writes Disney Brar

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It was on this day last year that Rajvir met with a tragic accident and passed away at 35. We celebrate the life and legacy of this remarkable singer whose life was an ode to Punjab itself.

Chandigarh, September 27

I have always been a Surjit Bindarakhia fan and have always maintained that none of the current crop of singers can fill the void Bindarakhia left more than two decades ago. Then I came across Rajvir Jawanda and his work. His swan song, ‘Tu Dis Painda’ instantly became a favourite of mine and even after a whole year now, I sometimes listen to it on a loop in my car. His bouquet of songs made me realize that probably Rajvir Jawanda was the only hope we had who could have filled in that void perfectly, if he had time on his side. Sadly, that wasn’t to be.

Let this piece be an ode to the rural pulse of Jawanda’s strong, resonant vocals and compositions, which capture the quintessential essence of Punjab and Punjabiyat in its true form. May his musical legacy continue to light up live akharas and celebrations across Punjab. Artistes never actually leave this plane; they continue to live, love & thrive through their work and their fans forever.

Cut out for great things in life

Allen Saunders once said, life is what happens to us while we are making other plans, something which resonates aptly with Rajvir’s life and his story. Born on June 20, 1990, Rajvir grew up in village Pona, District Ludhiana, Punjab. From childhood, he was musically inclined and was often seen humming tunes he had overheard somewhere. He was also exposed to music from a young age. In one interview, he said he became acquainted with music by listening to Punjabi ballads performed by rural musicians and folk groups in his village. But his life took a turn when he joined the Punjab police force as a constable after completing his graduation in theatre from Punjabi University, Patiala, because his family was long associated with the Police Department. His father worked for the Punjab Police, and Rajvir also worked in the Punjab police for nine years.

Although becoming a singer was not his first choice, he was always inclined towards singing and used to sing songs even in university and during his police service after duty hours. One of his songs went viral, prompting him to pursue singing as a full-fledged career. Even while in service, the itch to sing something creative, clean, and folksy, something which could raise a toast to the rich, vibrant culture and traditions of Punjab, continued to trouble the artist in him. So he kept singing and composing songs which were lapped up one after another, actually forcing him to take up singing as a profession.

He rose to fame in the Punjabi music industry with his hit song-Kali Jawande Di, which was released back in 2016. His other hits include Sardari, Kangani, Landlord, Do Ni Sajna, Sukoon, Boutique, Surname, Khush Reha Kar, Maavan, Dheeyan, and Afreen, besides others. Jawanda also appeared in films like Subedar Joginder Singh, Jind Jaan, Mindo Taseeldarni, and Yamla, which was released posthumously.

The last ride

Rajvir nestled an adventurous spirit inside his being and often took off to the mountainous terrains and the serpentine roads of our country, right from Himachal Pradesh to Leh-Ladakh, to get a firsthand feel of life-raw and throbbing. Being a passionate bike enthusiast, Rajvir owned a fleet of high-end motorcycles, equipped with advanced safety gear and features. But unfortunately, despite wearing all his safety gear, he met with an accident while driving back to Mohali after a trip to Shimla with his biker friends, when a fight amongst stray bulls claimed his life. Rajvir suffered fatal head and spinal injuries in the accident, which occurred near Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, on September 27, 2025, and succumbed to multiple organ failure 11 days later at Fortis Hospital, Mohali.

His passing was deeply sad and left all his fans heartbroken because, beyond the fantabulous singer he was, he was a pure and pious soul. But then, as John Lennon said, There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be, and Rajvir too rode on into the divine light.