By leaving the masses to endure the interminable pain and the nation to brace the loss of its precious asset, legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam has breathed his last on Friday at the age of 74 as, after conquering many battles in his life, his battle for survival had come to an end, which is an end of an era filled with his pleasant and heavenly voice. 

The singer, who fondly called as SPB by his fans, had culminated to greater heights through his incessant contribution and true love and respect throughout his lifetime. With his gifted voice, he had sung over 40,000 songs in 16 languages and touched and inspired millions of lives. Being a phenomenon, through a career spanning for over five decades, SPB had earned a place in everyone's heart and home and conferred with many national accolades. From MGR's 'Aadimai Penn' to Rajini's 'Annathe', SPB had done wonders and was a voice for many stars. 

For millions, these fifty days, from August 5 to September 25, had been filled with hope and pain while the entire nation prayed for his speedy recovery. As the singer has been on his final journey, let's see the timeline of his final days from getting admitted at the hospital to getting departed from his musical world, which he ruled. 

• August 14: When it was hoped that he would be recovering soon, the hospital reported that there had been a setback in his health the singer. The bulletin said that his condition had deteriorated and spelled at a critical state. He was moved to the ICU and placed under the support of a ventilator. The development had shocked his fans and fraternities and millions had kept offering their prayers and wishes to the singer for his speedy and complete recovery. 
• August 16: In his first update, SPB's son SP Charan said, "The pleasant news is, there is some mobility. Dad had shown thumbs up to the doctor and he recognized them. Though he was under the support of the ventilator, he is towards the path of recovery". 
• August 17: However, in the next bulletin, the hospital said that the singer's condition remains to be critical and the expert medical team is closely monitoring his viral parameters. Prayers from fans and celebrities had gone high with his close friend Ilayaraaja calling the singer to come back soon. As he has become a household name, many had prayed for his recovery as their own family member. 
• August 18: Reputed director Bharathiraja, who was also a friend of SPB nearly for five decades, appealed to the fans and other celebrities to conduct a mass prayer for the singer's speedy recovery. The next day, the hospital said that he remains critical and under the support of the ventilator and ECMO. 
• August 20: In an unprecedented moment in recent times, top celebrities from Rajinikanth, AR Rahman to the general public came together and offered prayers for the singer. Scores of people had gathered in temples and offered their prayers and hundreds had played his song and prayed by placing his portrait. It was a never-seen mass prayer where many had broken the norms and stood true and united in the singer's recovery. 
• August 21: The hospital issued a sign of relief and said that the singer is currently stable and continues to be under the support of the ventilator and ECMO. SPB's son Charan had also stated that his father had become stable from critical and his vitals are doing fine. 
• August 28: There was a further relief after the hospital said that the singer is stable, conscious, responsive, and participating in passive physiotherapy. With much relief, fans and fraternities had hoped that he would be getting recovered soon. 
• August 31 and September 3: The hospital said the singer as fully awake and showing clinical progress. He was under the ventilator support and closely monitored by the multidisciplinary clinical team. 
• September 7: The singer won the battle against the pandemic after SP Charan said that he had tested negative for COVID-19 and he is fully on the path of recovery, which further gave a positive sign for his fans who hoped to hear his heavenly voice again. 
• In the later updates, Charan shared some good news that the singer is responsive and even he celebrated his wedding anniversary at the hospital. Charan thanked everyone for their prayers and wishes and stated that his father was active and was able to communicate. He added that the singer even tried to sing, signaling that he is towards the complete recovery. 
• September 22, SP Charan said that the singer was recovering well and was eager to leave the hospital. He stated that his father continues the steady progress towards getting better. He has been eager to leave the hospital as early as possible. 
• September 24, Within two days, his health had taken an unfortunate and unexpected turn after there was a major setback. The hospital said that his health had deteriorated further in the last 24 hours and he was spelled at the state of extremely critical and placed under the maximum life support. With the shock from nowhere, the fans and fraternities had pained to learn the setback, but still, he had a little hope that he would get recovered for them. 
• September 25, his eagerness to leave the hospital ended up by leaving the world. Several celebrities like Kamal Haasan, Bharathiraja, and Venkat Prabhu had visited the singer when he was battling for survival. The hospital said that the singer had attained further setback and despite the efforts from the medical team, he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest. The hospital announced that he had passed away at 1.04 pm on Friday. 
• Amid the hope for his recovery, the news had stuck the millions with deep pain and agony as the phenomenon and precious asset for the nation had breathed his last after valiantly fighting for survival for around 50 days. The sudden demise of the legend had put his fans with grief as 'Paadum Nila' SPB had brought the end of an era as he has left the world by leaving incessant dusk. Though he is not with us, his legacy would live and his voice and songs would be cherished forever. 

Watch SPB's video that he released on August 5, which has become his last,