The legendary Santoor player, musician Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma passed away earlier today at 84.
Born on 13 January 1938 in Jammu and Kashmir, he started learning vocals and tabla at age 5. Pandit started learning Santoor at age 13.
He was suffering from kidney related issues since past six months and was on dialysis. He passed away due to cardiac arrest.
Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, the Padma Shri in 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2001.
He was scheduled to give a jugalbandi performance in Bhopal live concert on May 15, 2022 along with flute legend Hariprasad Chaurasia under ‘Mahima Samaroh’.
Shivkumar Sharma is credited with making the santoor a popular classical instrument. He reportedly composed the background music for one of the scenes in Shantaram's film 'Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje' in 1956 and recorded his first solo album in 1960.
In 1967, he teamed up with flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra to produce a concept album, 'Call of the Valley'.
In collaboration with Hariprasad Chaurasia, he reportedly composed music for several Hindi films like 'Silsila', 'Faasle', 'Chandni', 'Lamhe' and Darr.
