Indian music composer and Santoor maestro, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, passed away on Tuesday, May 10.
The music maestro had been suffering from kidney-related problems for the last six months and was on dialysis. He transitioned to the heavenly abode after suffering a cardiac arrest at age 84.
Along with celebrated flautist Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, he also composed music for many Hindi films. His son and disciple Rahul, a santoor artiste, has been taking his father’s legacy forward.
Not just that, Sharma was instrumental in giving the santoor, once a little known instrument from Jammu and Kashmir, worldwide recognition. He got the santoor a classical status. He and his son, Rahul Sharma have spent their entire lives popularizing the santoor and performing on shows from across the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also taken to Twitter to express his condolences. He wrote, “Our cultural world is poorer with the demise of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma Ji. He popularised the Santoor at a global level. His music will continue to enthral the coming generations. I fondly remember my interactions with him. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”
