By Matters India Reporter

Mumbai, May 10, 2022: India’s classical music world on May 10 plunged into grief when Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, veteran santoor maestro, died of cardiac arrest in Mumbai.

The 84-year-old was also suffering from renal ailments.

A family source said Sharma “had a severe heart attack at around 9 a.m. He was on regular dialysis but was still was active.”

“The passing away of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharmaji marks the end of an era,” tweeted sarod player Amjad Ali Khan while mourning the death.

Sharma died a week before he was scheduled to perform in Bhopal.

Sharma, who hailed from Jammu, put santoor, a multiple-string folk musical instrument from Kashmir, at the center stage of Indian classical music. He made santoor an instrument for Indian classical music through his internationally recognized playing style.

Sharma’s “contribution is unparalleled. For me, it’s a personal loss and I will miss him no end. May his soul rest in peace. His music lives on forever! Om Shanti,” Khan added.

Sharma adapted santoor to play Hindustani music and became its foremost exponent, reports the Press Trust of India news agency.

Sharma joined renowned flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia to compose music for many Hindi films such as “Silsila,” “Lamhe” and “Chandni.”

Sharma, a recipient of Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India, was born in Jammu on January 13, 1938. He was the first musician to play Indian classical music on the santoor. His father Uma Dutt Sharma was a singer. Their mother tongue was Dogri.

His father taught him vocals and tabla, when he was five. He started learning santoor at the age of 13 and gave his first public performance in Mumbai in 1955.

Sharma married Manorama and had two sons, including Rahul, whom he chose to be his disciples because he thought he had the gift of God.” The father-son duo performed together since 1996.

Sharma composed the background music for one of the scenes in Shantaram’s film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje in 1956. He recorded his first solo album in 1960.

In 1967, he teamed up with Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra to produce a concept album, Call of the Valley that turned out to be one of Indian classical music’s greatest hits.