Legendary sarangi player Pandit Ram Narayan passed away on Saturday at the age of 96, with his family and students by his side at his home in Bandra, Mumbai.
The news of his passing quickly led to an outpouring of tributes and condolences from artists and well-known figures, including Adnan Sami, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sonal Mansingh, and flutist Ronu Majumdar.
Famous playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy shared her tribute in a conversation with PTI. She said, “He was a key part of the Indian film industry. Music directors like Madan Mohan wouldn’t record without him. But he eventually left it all to perform in concerts across India and internationally.”
Krishnamurthy expressed feeling “fortunate” to have had the opportunity to be mentored by Pandit Ram Narayan in the mid-1970s.
“He was a very committed and serious teacher. I have learned a lot of things about music from him. Even later, I would go and meet him during his practices. He was an amazing person. His voice was so sweet and emotional, but he never sang publicly,” she added.
On the other hand, acclaimed music director and singer Adnan Sami also grieved the sarangi maestro’s demise. “I’m deeply saddened by the passing on of one of the greatest Sarangi Maestros that the entire Indian Subcontinent has ever witnessed—Pandit Ram Narayan ji. He hailed from the illustrious ’Kirana Gharana’ and was the recipient of the prestigious Padma Vibhushan,” a part of his tweet read.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi also paid tribute to Ram Narayan, saying, “Sangeet Natak Akademi and its associate bodies deeply mourn the sad loss of Ram Narayan, the renowned Hindustani musician and sarangi maestro.”
Indian flutist Ronu Majumdar, speaking to PTI, called Ram Narayan’s passing a huge loss for the music community. “Musicians will continue to learn a lot from him in the future as well. I pay my tribute to him,” he said in a video message.
