Nimma Loharka, lyricist, who penned 500 songs dies at 48 after prolong illness

Nimma Loharka, lyricist, who penned 500 songs dies at 48 after prolong illness

Nimma Loharka’s passing has sent a quiet shock through the Punjabi music community, the kind that settles slowly and heavily. He wasn’t just another name in the long list of lyricists who shape the industry from behind the mic. He was one of the voices that helped define an era.

Born Nirmal Singh on March 24, 1977, in Loharka village in Ajnala tehsil of Amritsar, Nimma carried the soil of his home in every line he wrote. His parents, Darshan Singh and Dalbir Kaur, were farmers. There was no formal training, no artistic lineage, no roadmap. What he did have was a grandfather who filled his childhood with Punjabi folktales, and somewhere between those stories, a seed was planted.

By class 4, he was scribbling verses. By class 10, he had written his first major piece, a devotional song titled Nankane Vall Jande Rahiyo for a school play. That simple school-stage moment became his first taste of recognition. It wouldn’t be his last.

He moved to Ludhiana in 1994 to learn music, chasing a dream most people in his village would have labelled too big. He spent months in Bharowal, the hometown of legendary folk singer Didar Sandhu, absorbing the rhythms and textures of Punjabi folk. This period sharpened him, toughened him, and ultimately shaped the lyricist he would become. Around this time, he adopted the name Nimma Loharka — Nimma from his childhood nickname, Loharka from the place that built him.

What followed was a long, prolific run. He wrote more than 500 songs, mentored and uplifted over 150 singers, and collaborated with some of the biggest names in Punjabi music: Diljit Dosanjh, Amrinder Gill, Ravinder Grewal, Malkit Singh, Feroz Khan, Harbhajan Shera, Nachhatar Gill, Inderjit Nikku, and many others.

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His work carried a simple, emotional honesty. Lines like Dil ditta nai si thokran lawan vaste and Ki samjawan ehna nain kamleyan nu didn’t just become hits; they became part of the cultural vocabulary.

But popularity didn’t shield him from hardship. In recent years, Nimma spoke openly about his financial struggles and how only a handful of the artists he once supported stood by him. He often expressed a quiet disappointment that the industry forgets the very people who help build its foundations.

Nimma Loharka passed away at 48 after days of deteriorating health, as reported by PTC News. His last rites will be held in his native village. He is survived by his son, who has followed in his footsteps as a songwriter.