Santoor maestro and known music composer, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, has died on June 2. He was undergoing treatment at Fortis Hospital in Gurugram.
According to India Today, Pandit Sopori hailed from the Sopore Valley of Kashmir and belonged to the Sufiana gharana of Indian classical music. He delivered his first performance when he was five years old in 1953. In his several decades long career, he performed in Egypt, England, Germany and the USA.
He studied western classical music from the Washington University and Hindustani from his grandfather, SC Sopori, and father, Shambhoo Nath. Pandit Sopori also taught music at Washington university for the matter of fact.
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He was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 2004 for his contribution to the Indian classical music. Ironically, just last month, musician and santoor player, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma also passed away due to cardiac arrest.
Pandit Sopori was 73 and is survived by his wife and two sons, Sorabh and Abhay. Abhay is also a known santoor player.
