Santoor Virtuoso Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, one of India’s well known classical musician, who took the stringed instruments to the global stage died at his Pali Hill residence following a heart attack, his secretary Dinesh informed PTI. He died at the age of 84 on Tuesday between 8- 8:30 PM.
A family source said, “He had a severe heart attack in the morning. He was active and was to perform in Bhopal next week. He wa on regular dialysis but was still active.”
Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma was a Padma Vibhushan recipient. He was born in Jammu in 1938 and also it is believed that he was the first musician to have played Indian Classical music on the santoor, Jammu & Kashmir folk instrument.
While paying condolences PM Narendra Modi said, “Our cultural world is poorer with the demise of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma ji. He popularized the Santoor at a global level. His music will continue to enthrall the coming generations. I fondly remember my interactions with him, condolences to his family and admirers, Om Shanti.”
"In the future, 100 or 1,000 years later, whenever santoor is mentioned, it will remain incomplete without Shiv Kumar Sharma. Santoor se Shiv Kumar ka woh rishta hai jo modern science se Einstein ka hai," Akhtar, who penned songs for "Silsila", said.
"There are a few phrases which are said whenever a big personality passes away, 'There will be no like him. There is now a void which can never be filled'. But in Shiv ji's case, they are not cliches but absolute truth. When a musician learns to play an instrument like no one else, he becomes a maestro. But when Shiv ji picked up the santoor, the instrument got respect across the world."
"Sad to know about the demise of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma eminent Santoor player and internationally celebrated Indian music composer. His departure impoverishes our cultural world. My deepest condolences," West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee tweeted.