Teejan Bai in Critical Condition at AIIMS Raipur
RAIPUR, India — Renowned Pandwani singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai is in critical condition at AIIMS Raipur, where she is being treated in the Medical Intensive Care Unit.
The 69-year-old folk icon was admitted late Wednesday night after her health suddenly deteriorated. Doctors have described her condition as critical.
According to medical updates, Teejan Bai is suffering from a severe lung infection, bloodstream infection, sepsis and acute kidney injury. Sources said her blood pressure has remained consistently low, while persistent infections continue to pose a serious challenge.
A multidisciplinary team of specialists, including critical care experts, pulmonologists and hematologists, is monitoring her around the clock and providing intensive treatment.
Teejan Bai was brought to the hospital in critical condition and was shifted to the MICU after an initial assessment. Doctors have managed to stabilize her to some extent, but they remain cautious because the risk has not fully subsided.
Born in 1956 in Ganiyari village near Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, Teejan Bai rose from humble beginnings to become one of India’s most celebrated folk artists. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of Pandwani, a traditional Chhattisgarhi art form in which stories from the Mahabharata are narrated through powerful singing and dramatic performance.
Her distinctive style, marked by deep emotion and energetic delivery while seated on stage, helped bring the regional folk tradition to national and international audiences.
Over her career, Teejan Bai has received several of India’s highest civilian honors, including the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2003 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2019. She also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995, along with several other honors recognizing her contribution to Indian folk culture.
News of her condition has sparked concern across Chhattisgarh and among members of the wider cultural community. Fans, artists and political leaders have expressed hopes for her recovery. The state government and AIIMS Raipur are providing medical support to the veteran singer.
Prayers and well-wishes have continued to pour in from across the country as Teejan Bai remains under intensive care. (Source: IANS)
