Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passes away at 84

New Delhi, May 10: Indian music composer and santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away in Mumbai on Tuesday after suffering cardiac arrest. He was aged 84.

As per the reports, the musician was ailing from kidney-related issues for the last six months and was on dialysis. "He had a severe heart attack at around 9 am... He was active and was to perform in Bhopal next week. He was on regular dialysis but was still was active," the family source told PTI.

The santoor is originally a folk instrument but became an instrument for Indian classical through his internationally recognized playing style.

A Padma Vibhushan recipient gave the santoor, which was once a little known instrument from Jammu and Kashmir, a classical status and exalted it along with other, more traditional and famous instruments such as sitar and sarod.

As one half of musician duo Shiv-Hari, he composed music with flute legend Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia for an array of films such as "Silsila", "Lamhe" and "Chandni". His son Rahul Sharma is also a santoor player.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the death saying the cultural world has become poorer with the demise. He tweeted, "Our cultural world is poorer with the demise of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma Ji. He popularised the Santoor at a global level. His music will continue to enthral the coming generations. I fondly remember my interactions with him. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolence on Twitter. She tweeted, "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."

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, in his condolence tweet, said that Pandit's "creativity will always play in our consciousness." "One of the greatest souls of maa Saraswati, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma ji is not with us in body. But his creativity will always play in our consciousness. I was blessed by him and had the honour to create music with his son Rahul. Artists never die," he tweeted.

Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi tweeted, "Deeply saddened to hear that maestro Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma has passed away. His mellifluous music will remain in our hearts ofcourse but tinged by the pain of his loss . My deepest condolences to the family . RIP. [sic]"