In a shocking update, former 'MasterChef India' contestant, Urmila Asher, popularly known as 'Gujju Ben', passed away due to a heart attack.
Society has created age-related standards for people, but some great personalities defy them with their hard work, capability and determination. One of them was former MasterChef India contestant, Urmila Asher, who left everyone stunned by participating in the show during her 70s. Despite her old age, she never used it as an excuse and kept going with a sweet smile and undying spirit. But, her fans are now left saddened as Urmila has passed away at the age of 79 after suffering a heart attack.
Urmila Jamnadas Asher was popularly known as 'Gujju Ben' owing to her tasty Gujarati snacks. She had been away from the spotlight for some time. But, a while ago, her team shared a post announcing her demise on her official Instagram handle. The post shared a graphic note with her picture that revealed she passed on April 7, 2025. It shared that she was a symbol of 'courage, joy, and late blooming dreams' whose journey highlighted that it's never late to pursue what makes you happy. The note read:
"From her kitchen to your hearts, her warmth, laughter, and wisdom changed lives. Let us not remember her with tears but with the strength she showed us. The strength to be fearless. To love fully. To live joyfully. Baa's journey doesn't end here — it lives on in every person she touched, every laugh she shared, and every soul she inspired. We will carry her light forward."
The post also shared that Urmila Asher's last rites were held at Mumbai's Chandanwadi crematorium on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 8 am. The news shocked her fans and co-contestants on the show, and they expressed their condolences. One of her co-contestants on the show, Aruna Vijay, penned, "Always been an inspiration, will miss you baa." At the same time, netizens recalled watching her on MasterChef India, and one fan wrote, "She was a very profound personality. She is gonna be missed for sure. May her soul rest in peace and give more strength to the entire family."
Urmila Asher's journey in MasterChef India was in spotlight due to her age and resilience. She was admired by her fellow contestants and judges, Chef Ranveer Brar, Garima Arora and Vikas Khanna on the show. Despite being the first contestant to be eliminated, she was delighted over the opportunity to be on the renowned platform. In an interview with News18, Baa shared that she was grateful for everything new she got to learn from the show and will try those recipes at home. In her words:
"All the contestants and the judges were very loving towards me and appreciated me all the time. Even in the last pressure challenge, when I was unable to complete my cake, Priyanka left her own cooking and came to help me; it meant a lot to me. I will continue to post recipes on my YouTube channel. I have a lot of recipes, and I want to share them with the world. I really enjoy cooking and will continue to do so for as long as I live."
Urmila Jamnadas Asher lost her three children in heart-wrenching tragedies. Her 2.5-year-old daughter accidentally fell from a building and passed away. Her elder son died of a brain tumour, and her younger son suffered from heart failure. Her only grandson, Harsh, became a source of strength for her, who lost his upper lip in an accident, but they still decided to work hard in life.
She earned money by cooking in 203 homes and later started a small food business, 'GujjuBen Na Nasta', that served fresh food and snacks in Mumbai. Urmila became famous after starting her YouTube channel, Gujju Ben na Nasta, along with her grandson Harsh during lockdown. She used to share different recipes and has a following of 3.84 Lakh on YouTube and 302 K on Instagram.
May God give strength to Urmila Asher's family and well-wishers during this painful phase.
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