and Th e Sun set in the West Pandit Ravi Shankar (7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012)
The legendary Indian classical musician Pandit Ravi Shankar suffered upperrespiratory
and heart ailments and passed away last month on 11th December. Spanning
a long and eventful career of more than eight decades, Pandit Ravi Shankar elevated and
brought Indian Classical Music on a global platform. Shankar was honoured in India
and across the world with several awards including the Bharat Ratna and the Grammies.
Music was the only language he used to interact with audiences world over using his
Sitar in a way that transcended all barriers . The hallmark of his music, observes violin
maestro Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, was that he never compromised on the identity of Indian
classical music. “His engagement with music was driven by reason all through and the high
aesthetic value of his music is only a manifestation of that spirit. He loved and enjoyed
good music and approached it with child-like enthusiasm even after becoming a worldrenowned
master. Only such an attitude to art can bring out inspiring music like his,” Mr.
Jayaraman said. Pandit Ravi Shankar, whose mastery over the sitar helped rejuvenate the
classical instrumental tradition in India and popularise Indian music in the West through
concerts and collaborations with well known artists, are rare gems that the world has seen
and would take generations to reproduce such skilled artists. Our respects to the great
maestro. May the tune of his Sitar continue to resonate in the heart and memory of music
aficionados and his soul rest in Peace!