Chutney icon Anand Yankarran died at hospital in Trinidad on Monday after suffering a heart attack.Yankarran who had suffered from kidney problems for several years, was on dialysis. He was 51.

Yankarran shot to the spotlight in 1989 when he recorded  Zindabad Trinibago, a jingle for a local beer.

He would later record the jingle on his first album, Victory. The album also included his breakaway hit Nanda Baba.

Among his  other hits were Jo Jo and Ranga Dal.

In 2008, he suffered a stroke and last performed in the Chutney Soca Monarch competition in Trinidad in 2014.

Yankarran who lived with his wife in the United States for 14 years before returning to Trinidad, delighted audiences in many

countries with his performances.

Un 1991, he  received a Trinidad and Tobago national award – the Chaconia Medal (Silver) – for long and meritorious service to the country.

Trinidad-based chutney soca promoter, George Singh, said Yankarran’s death is a devastating blow to the local music industry. He likened Yankarran’s musical contributions to that of the “father” of chutney music, Sundar Popo, who died in 2000 after suffering from heart problems and kidney failure.

Anand Yankarran came from a musical family. His father was the legendary Indian classical singer, Isaac Yankarran. His brother, Rakesh Yankarran, is also  a well known local chutney singer.