PANDIT SHIV KUMAR SHARMA PASSES AWAY

The legendary musician and santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away today on May 10. He was 84. Born in Jammu, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma began learning santoor at the age of thirteen - Jyothi Venkatesh

His first public performance was in Mumbai in 1955. It is, in fact, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma who has been credited with popularising the santoor.

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma had composed the background music for one of the scenes in the 1956 film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje. Four years later, way back in the year 1960, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma recorded his first solo album.

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma collaborated with flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra in 1967, and together, they produced the acclaimed concept album Call of the Valley.

Pandit Shiv Kumar had made his debut as a music director in tandem with his partner and flautist Hari Prasad Chaurasia with the film Silsila.

The duo had also composed the hit number Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau Choodiyan Hai for the Yash Chopra directed Silsila starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha way back in the late 70’s and also Darr starring Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in the 90’s.