Qyuki Co-Founder Samir Bangara Passes Away at 45
The digital media entrepreneur and investor was in a road accident earlier today
Samir Bangara, late co-founder and MD of Qyuki.
Mumbai-based angel investor, entrepreneur and co-founder of digital media company Qyuki Samir Bangara died in a road accident earlier today, multiple sources reported. Bangara was 45 years old.
Qyuki’s network head Sagar Gokhale said in a statement, “It is with great sorrow that we inform you that our leader, mentor & trusted friend, Samir Bangara (Co-founder & MD, Qyuki) passed away in an accident this morning, June 14, 2020. We are all in a state of complete and utter despair and words will do no justice to express this loss. But it is our duty to absorb this shock for now so that we can be there for each other, especially for his family, just the way Samir would have liked us to.”
The statement added, “On behalf of Team Qyuki and all our allies, we seek your support. Given the pandemic, please send your prayers from home until such time as we have more information to share with you.”
While Qyuki was originally a social platform for creative talent, founded by music composing titan A.R. Rahman and veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, it launched as a digital media network in 2013 with Bangara as managing director and co-founder. “Unlocking the creative potential of India is an incredibly compelling idea. I was in the midst of starting my own venture focused on this when I met Shekhar. The ability to partner with Shekhar Kapur and A.R. Rahman and coming aboard Qyuki added terrific synergies to my own ambitions and propel them to the next level,” Bangara said in a statement at the time of his appointment.
Over the course of seven years, Bangara guided Qyuki along to the forefront of music, film and new media, by not just managing and pushing social media influencers and singers, but also collaborating to create the Dharavi Dream Project, star-studded talent hunts such as ARRived with Rahman and teaming up with Rolling Stone India for the #HaqSe series last year, which pushed Indian hip-hop on multiple levels. In January, Qyuki hosted Epic Fam Jam, a festival dedicated wholly to India’s rising social media superstars.
Tributes poured in from all quarters over Bangara’s untimely loss. Singer Armaan Malik said in a tweet, “Really very sad to wake up to the news that @samirbangara is no more. He was a great guy with a drive and passion like no other. Shocking and heartbreaking. Sincere condolences, strength and prayers to his immediate family & the @MyQyuki family.”
Vishal Dadlani tweeted, “Just heard that @samirbangara is no more. Horrible, heartbreaking news. Man’s been a friend for a long time. Such a good guy, so straight-up. Helped so many people build careers out of nothing! His legacy will remain. Much love and strength to the family. 2020, enough please!”
This is a developing story.
