84-year-old santoor legend Pandit Shivakumar Sharma died today in Mumbai. According to reports, panditji was having kidney issues for more than half a year and was going through dialysis. He died today because of heart failure.
Pandit Shivshankar is known to give Santoor, a status among other traditional instruments like sitar and sarod. Santoor is a 100-stringed instrument from Jammu and Kashmir. He has worked with a few other amazing individuals like flute player Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan.
In an interview with a news channel, he said “Some divine force has guided me all my life and my whole focus was on santoor. Concerts or no concerts, music is here in the heart and mind and goes on all the time.”
Pandit Sharma’s collection called Call of the Valley, which was released in 1967 when he teamed up with flute player Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitar player Brijbhushan Kabra holds the record of being one of the biggest selling Hindustani records. As the news about his death came out, accolades are pouring in from across the world. Many individuals are calling it the end of the era.
Giving sympathies to his family, PM Modi shared, “He popularised the Santoor at a global level. His music will continue to enthrall the coming generations. I fondly remember my interactions with him.”
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.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 10, 2022
Brutal Goenka tweeted, “Shiv Kumar Sharma was a charismatic classical musician who could draw on the canvas of space and silence with the tune, tone, notes, and rhythmic lilt very beautifully. He was known as the Sultan of Strings and was synonymous with santoor, earlier a folk instrument.”
He has left his imprint in the field of music.
