Who Was Sulakshana Pandit? Singer Collaborated With Lata Mangeshkar As A Kid In Evergreen Song Saat Samundar Paar Se

Veteran singer Sulakshana Pandit passed away on November 6, 2025, at the age of 71. Coming from a family of artists, she was the elder sister of the music director duo Jatin-Lalit and the former actress Vijayta Pandit. Her family confirmed that she died from a cardiac arrest around 7 PM. She had complained of breathlessness, and unfortunately, she passed away on the way to Nanavati Hospital.

Sulakshana Pandit was a talented singer and actress during the 1970s and 80s. As a leading lady, she collaborated with renowned actors such as Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, and Shashi Kapoor. Despite her popularity, she preferred to live a quiet life away from the media spotlight, which is why very little is known about her.

Who was Sulakshana Pandit?

Sulakshana Pandit hailed from a musical family in Pilimandori Village, located in Hissar, Haryana. She was born to Pratap Narain Pandit, an accomplished classical vocalist, and was the niece of the legendary classical singer Pandit Jasraj, as well as Vasant Kumar Pandit, a former Rajgarh MP and Jan Sangh leader. Sulakshana was one of seven siblings, with brothers Mandheer, Jatin, and Lalit Pandit, and sisters Maya, Sandhya, and Vijayta Pandit.

At the age of nine, she began singing and later joined her brother Mandheer Pandit, a music composer in the 1980s, forming the duo Mandheer–Jatin with her brother Jatin. The siblings frequently performed together on stage until Sulakshana established herself as a leading playback singer. She later collaborated with musical legends such as Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar during live concerts.

The musical and acting talent has been passed down to the next generation of the Pandit family, with her nieces and nephews becoming prominent figures in the Indian entertainment industry.

She made rare public appearances after her four surgeries that left her impaired.

A look at Sulakshana Pandit's flourishing career

She had a remarkable career before stepping away from the entertainment industry and embracing a life away from the media spotlight. Starting as a child singer, she enchanted audiences with the song Saat Samundar Paar Se alongside the legendary Lata Mangeshkar in the 1967 film Taqdeer, which became an evergreen classic. As she matured, she made her impactful debut as a leading playback singer with the 1971 movie Door Ka Raahi, where she beautifully performed Beqarar-e-dil Tu Gaaye Ja with Kishore Kumar. That year alone, she graced the soundtracks of Chalte Chalte and Uljhan. Her final musical contribution was the heartfelt Saagar Kinare Bhi Do Dil from Khamoshi: The Musical (1996), composed by her talented brothers, the celebrated duo Jatin-Lalit.

She showcased her versatility in multiple languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Oriya, and Gujarati.

Beyond her flourishing singing career, she emerged as one of the leading actresses in Indian cinema. Her acting journey began in 1975 alongside Sanjeev Kumar in Uljhan, and she went on to shine in three more films that same year, Sankalp, Raaja, and Salaakhen. Other beloved films in her repertoire include Hera Pheri, Waqt Ki Deewar, and Chehre Pe Chehra. She graced the screen for the last time in Do Waqt Ki Roti (1988), once again alongside Sanjeev Kumar, leaving a lasting legacy of talent and inspiration.

Why did Sulakshana Pandit never marry?

Sulakshana Pandit was a successful figure in the entertainment industry, but her love life was less fortunate. She fell deeply in love with Sanjeev Kumar while they were working together on the set of the film Uljhan. However, Sanjeev Kumar had feelings for Hema Malini. He even proposed to her, but she declined his offer. Later, Sulakshana confessed her feelings to Sanjeev Kumar, but he rejected her proposal. Since her heart was devoted to him, she ultimately decided not to marry anyone else.

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