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Shivkumar Sharma (13 January 1938 – 10 May 2022) was an Indian classical musician and santoor player who is credited with adapting the santoor for Indian classical music. As a music composer, he collaborated with Indian flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia under the collaborative name Shiv–Hari and composed music for such hit Indian films as Faasle (1985), Chandni (1989), and Lamhe (1991).
Sharma was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986 and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan (India's fourth and second highest civilian awards) in 1991 and 2001.
Shivkumar's grandfather was the Rajpurohit (chief priest) of the royal temple of Pratap Singh, the king of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. His father Umadutt Sharma was a vocalist and a tabla player. His father started teaching him vocals and tabla, when he was just five. His father saw an opportunity to introduce him to the santoor, a hammered dulcimer, which was a folk instrument of Kashmir, and as per Sharma was known as Shatatantri Veena () in the Vedic period.
Sharma spent his early years in Srinagar and saw the styles that integrated Sufism with traditional Kashmiri folk music and had his son play the instrument that was then new to Indian classical music. Sharma started learning santoor at the age of thirteen and gave his first public performance in Mumbai in 1955. The one-hour-long rendition of Raga Yaman at his first live performance in 1955, left his audience in Mumbai shouting ‘Encore!’
Sharma composed the background music for one of the scenes in V. Shantaram's film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (1955) where Gopi Krishna performed a Kathak dance piece. Further, he composed music for many Hindi films in collaboration with Chaurasia, starting with Silsila (1981). They came to be known as the Shiv–Hari music duo. Some of the movies they composed music for were musical hits, such as Faasle (1985), Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991), and Darr (1993). Sharma also played tabla including in the popular song "Mo Se Chhal Kiye Jaaye" sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the 1965 film Guide, on the insistence of music director S. D. Burman. However, Sharma's focus remained on classic music rather than film songs; he said, "Classical music is not for entertainment. It is to take you on a meditative journey, ye toh mehsoos karne ki cheez hai (This has to be experienced)." Sharma’s 1968 concert in Los Angeles was his first performance abroad. He followed this with a tour of England in 1970. In 1996, Sharma and his son Rahul played the santoor on a stage in Norway, as 'equals' for the first time.
Sharma was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akadeemi Award in 1986, the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in 1991, and the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award in 2001.
Sharma died on 10 May 2022 from a cardiac arrest. He was 84 years old. He had kidney failure for the last few months and went through regular dialysis. He received a state funeral at Pawan Hans Juhu aerodrome, Mumbai, on 11 May 2022.
Some of his other awards included:
Career
Starting his career playing the santoor with his father, Sharma is credited with introducing the santoor as a popular Indian classical music instrument.Peter Lavezzoli (2026). 9780826418159, Continuum International Publishing Group. . ISBN 9780826418159 He recorded his first solo album in 1960. Sharma took the santoor as an Indian classical musical instrument playing at various music venues. He collaborated with Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain and with flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia on many of his performances as well as on his albums. In 1967, he teamed up with Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra to produce a concept album, Call of the Valley (1967), which turned out to be one of Indian classical music's greatest hits.
Personal life
Sharma married Manorama and had two sons, Rohit, who learned Sitar and is currently an executive with Sony India and Rahul, who started learning at the age of 13 to become a santoor player, and they performed together since 1996. In a 1999 interview, Sharma stated that he chose Rahul as his shishya, because he thought he had the "gift of God". He became a staunch devotee and follower of Sathya Sai Baba after starting off as a sceptic.
Discography
Albums
Source:
1964 Santoor & Guitar with Brij Bhushan Kabra 1967 Shivkumar Sharma (re-released 2005 as "First LP Record of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma" 1967 Call of the Valley with Brij Bhushan Kabra and Hariprasad Chaurasia 1982 When Time Stood Still! with Zakir Hussain (Live in Bombay) 1987 Rag Madhuvanti & Rag Misra Tilang with Zakir Hussain 1988 Hypnotic Santoor 1991 Maestro's Choice, Series One A Sublime Trance The Glory of Strings Raga Purya Kalyan with Zakir Hussain 1993 Rag Rageshri with Zakir Hussain Raga Bhopali vol I Raga Kedari vol II Varshā – A Homage to the Rain Gods 1994 Sound Scapes, Music of the Mountains Hundred Strings of Santoor The Pioneer of Santoor Raag Bilaskhani Todi A Morning Raga Gurjari Todi Feelings 1996 The Valley Recalls - In Search of Peace, Love & Harmony with Hariprasad Chaurasia The Valley Recalls - Raga Bhoopali with Hariprasad Chaurasia Yugal Bandi with Hariprasad Chaurasia 1999 Maestro's Choice, Series Two Sampradaya Rasdhara with Hariprasad Chaurasia 2001 Saturday Night in Bombay – Remember Shakti (Universal Records), Composed Shringar with John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain and many others musicians 2002 Ananda Bliss with Zakir Hussain The Flow of Time with Zakir Hussain Sangeet Sartaj 2003 Vibrant Music for Reiki 2004 Sympatico (Charukeshi – Santoor) 2004 The Inner Path (Kirvani – Santoor 2007 Essential Evening Chants with Hariprasad Chaurasia
Contributing artist
Source
1996 The Rough Guide to the Music of India and Pakistan World Music Network
Awards
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.
External links
Categories: 1938 Births, 2022 Deaths, Hindustani Instrumentalists, Indian Male Classical Musicians, People From Jammu, Musicians From Jammu And Kashmir, Recipients Of The Padma Shri In Arts, Recipients Of The Padma Vibhushan In Arts, Recipients Of The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Santoor Players, Recipients Of The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Dogra People
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