The body of musician Amber Gurung, who breathed his last at Grande Hospital in Dhapasi in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, been brought to Kamladi-based Academy Hall in Kathmandu for final tributes.

Gurung's body procession began from the hospital at 9:55 am today. His body will be kept on the premises of Academy Hall until 3 pm today for his well-wishers to pay their final respects.  Gurung was the founding vice chancellor of Nepal Academy of Music and Drama.

His final rites will be performed at Pashupati Aryaghat according to Hindu traditions, said his second son Raju Gurung.

At a press meet organised this morning, Grande Hospital Director Dr Chakraraj Pandey said Gurung’s condition was beyond the control of medicines. “We lost the battle against Gurung’s disease.”

Gurung was brought to the hospital a week ago after he started vomiting immediately after eating.

Along with the National Anthem ‘Sayaun Thunga Fulka Hami’, Gurung had composed more than a 1,000 songs, including the era-defining numbers Nau Lakhe Tara and Rato Ra Chandra Surya. Gurung was also a lyricist and singer.

Gurung, 78, had long been suffering from diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

After undergoing a treatment at the Medanta Hospital in New Delhi, Gurung had returned to Nepal on March 30 this year, before being admitted to the Grande Hospital on May 30.