Shiv Kumar Sharma- the maestro who introduced Santoor to Indian classical music

Shiv Kumar Sharma, born on 13 January 1938 in Jammu, was revered for his incomparable musical expertise. A Padma Vibhushan recipient, the maestro is believed to be the first musician to have played Indian classical music on the santoor, a folk instrument whose origins are traced back to Persia.

Silence, not applause, to be the deepest praise for his craft

The talented artist recounted a time when his performance at the Osho ashram in Pune left his audience in a trance-like state. They did not stir once. Knowing that people connected with his music on a spiritual level was for him the biggest compliment.

Making classical music progressive

The santoor comprises 100 strings stretched across a hollow body, and is played with tongs rather than plucked. Its sound is rooted in Sufi music and Shiv Kumar Sharma was a pioneer in revolutionizing this when he incorporated it into Hindustani classical music, a blend made formidable by his skill. He modified the instrument when he was 17 to make it better suited to classical Hindustani music. This innovation was welcomed by progressive musicians but the traditionalists criticized the move. It did not deter him, because in his words, he nurtured the instrument in his lap and the critics only made him more determined.

His talent wasn’t limited to the Santoor

It wasn’t only Santoor that he was skilled in. He played the table, sitar, sarod, violin and harmonium! By 12, he was also performing vocals and the tabla on local radio broadcasts in Jammu, where he was born and brought up. When his father felt he was ready, he gifted him the Santoor and told him that would be his instrument. He then gifted beautiful melodies to the Indian cinema and the rest of the world.

The amazing maestro may have left the world, but continues to live on through his melodies. He converted an instrument that was majorly played only in Jammu and Kashmir into a major instrument of Indian classical music, which in our opinion is proof of innovation and pure creativity.

Here’s a playlist of some of his best music to pay a tribute to one of India’s and the world’s greatest artists.

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