Musician Mandolin Srinivas passes away at 45

Chennai, Sept 18: Musician U Srinivas, popularly known as Mandolin Srinivas, passed away in Apollo hospital in Chennai on Friday morning. The 45-year-old was suffering from a liver ailment.

Born in Andhra Pradesh, Srinivas started playing Mandolin at a very young age of 6. He played an electric mandolin and had collaborated with the world renowned musicians like John McLaughlin, Michael Nyman, and Michael Brook. He founded and ran an institute called Srinivas Institute of World Music (SIOWM)

Srinivas was awarded the prestigious Padma Sri in 1998 when he was just 29 years old. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2010.

Srinivas was a child prodigy who picked up his father's mandolin at an age of 6. His father Satyanarayana realised his talent and started teaching him. He made his first public appearance at the age of nine.

Srinivas married Sree, daughter of an IAS officer, in 1994 and the couple got divorced in 2012. They have a son.

Musicians across the country expressed grief and disbelief. Reportedly, Srinivas had just recorded an album that was due to release yesterday.

Emotionally shaken to hear of Carnatic shining star Mandolin Shrinivasjis demise... May God bless him with happiness in the next world...

— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) September 19, 2014

The grt Mandolin exponent U Shrinivas is no more unfortunately. Ws gng thru a liver trnsplnt. Imprvd apparently. Bt succumbed tragically.RIP

— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) September 19, 2014

The Prime Minister expressed grief on the passing away of renowned musician Shri Uppalapu Shrinivas.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 19, 2014

Oneindia News