Padma Shri Pandit Shivkumar Sharma Passes Away
PERSON AND PLACES
Legendary musician and santoor Maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away at 84 due to a cardiac arrest. He was suffering from kidney-related ailments for the past six months. He was undergoing dialysis as well.
Santoor is a folk instrument of Jammu and Kashmir and he is the first musician to have played Indian classical music on this instrument.
Padma awardee Pandit Shivkumar Sharma was born in Jammu in 1938 and began learning santoor at the age of thirteen. At the age of 17, he made his first public performance in Mumbai. He composed the background music for one of the scenes in the 1956 film ‘Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje’.
He recorded his first solo album in 1960 and produced the acclaimed concept album ‘Call of the Valley’ in 1967 associated with flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra.
He received the prestigious civilian honors - Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan in 1991 and 2001 respectively. He also won Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986.
Important points for the exam:
- Padma awardee Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away at 84 due to a cardiac arrest.
- He is a musician and santoor player. Santoor is a folk instrument of Jammu and Kashmir.
- He is the first musician to have played Indian classical music on Santoor's instrument.
- He recorded his first solo album in 1960 and produced the acclaimed concept album ‘Call of the Valley’ in 1967 in association with flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra.
- He received the prestigious civilian honors - Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan in 1991 and 2001 respectively. He also won Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986.
