Alka Yagnik diagnosed with rare sensory hearing loss: 'I want to break my silence now...'

Alka Yagnik – a leading Bollywood playback singer in the 90s with hundreds of songs to her credit featuring everyone from Madhuri Dixit to Sridevi – said that she has been diagnosed with 'a rare sensorineural nerve hearing loss', due to a 'sudden viral attack'. In a long Instagram post on Monday, the singer addressed her friends and well-wishers, and revealed why she had been 'missing in action' and asked for their 'support and understanding'. Alka's last Instagram post was on Mother's Day 2024 in May.

'It caught me completely unaware'

Alka began by writing alongside an undated photo of herself, “To all my fans, friends, followers and well-wishers. A few weeks ago, as I walked out of a flight, I suddenly felt I was not able to hear anything. Having mustered some courage in the weeks following the episode, I want to break my silence now for all my friends and well wishers who have been asking me why I’m missing in action. It has been diagnosed by my docs as a rare sensorineural nerve hearing loss, due to a viral attack…this sudden, major setback has caught me completely unaware.”

'Please keep me in your prayers'

She added, "As I attempt to come to terms with it please keep me in your prayers." The singer further shared a warning against the 'exposure to very loud music and headphones'.

Alka said, "For my fans and young colleagues, I would add a word of caution regarding exposure to very loud music and headphones. One day, I wish to share the health perils of my professional life. With all your love and support, I am hoping to recalibrate my life and, come back to you soon. Your support and understanding will mean the world to me in this critical hour…"

In an earlier interview with ANI, Alka, whose biggest hits include Pardesi Pardesi, Gazab Ka Hai Din, Taal Se Taal Mila, among others, had said 'playback singing is not as easy as it seems'.

She said in 2017, "You are singing for a character and your song should make it easy for the actor to emote and shouldn’t make it difficult for them. It is also a challenge for a playback singer to adapt to the different style of each composer. But then having achieved that, nothing compares to the happiness of a composer telling you that your singing perfectly adapts to their styles.”v