Santoor Maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma dies at 84

Indian music composer and santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passes away in Mumbai at the age of 84. He had been suffering from kidney-related issues for the last six months and was on dialysis.

He passed away due to cardiac arrest. Pandit Shivkumar Sharma composed the background music for one of the scenes in Shantaram's film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje in 1956.

He recorded his first solo album in 1960.

He was one half of Shiv- Hari and composed music with flute legend Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia for an array of films such as Silsila, Lamhe, Faasle, Darr and Chandni among others.

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma was the recipient of national and international awards, including an honorary citizenship of the city of Baltimore, USA, in 1985, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, the Padma Shri in 1991, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2001.