Master musician Pandit Shamboo Nath Sopori, father of legendary artist Pandit Bhajan Sopori, passed away this afternoon at his residence in Delhi. He was 98.
He was critical for last one month.
Popularly known as Masterjee, he was hailed as the father of Indian classical music in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
He was the Guru and Ustad of thousands of students, and Hindustani classical music grew with him in the state.
Sitar, Santoor and Classical vocal were his forte. He was the most loved and respected musician of the state.
The musician had been the pioneer in bringing the classical music to the masses.
He practically made J&K state a new cultural centre with virtually every classical musician in the state being his disciple.
He introduced Hindustani classical music as a subject initially in SP Higher Secondary School for boys and later in the Girls College at Maulana Azad Road and paved the way for the musicians to grow and make music a source of lively hood.
It's due to his pioneering and dedicated efforts of that musicians got a prestigious status in the state.
Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, the school purely of Indian classical music and dance that Pandit SN Sopori started in the Valley, was the main institution for holding Hindustani Classical music and Dance concerts regularly in the State.
He was also the pioneer in putting some of the Muqams in the notations to ensure its preservation.
With his command in classical and sufiana music made his distinctive style of presentation combining both instrumental and vocal in his presentation.
A versatile musician with a great command on languages like Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi and Kashmiri, he had a huge repertoire of compositions in these languages.
Music being in the blood and life itself, he would inspire people from all walks of life to sing and awaken them to nuances of melody and notes.
He ensured that anyone who would meet him would learn a line or a verse of a Raga, Ghazal or a Bhajan and it all started with the punch line Sur Lagaoo (sing a note).
This gradually brought him to the pinnacle of popularity and people over a period of time developed a curiosity to learn more from him.
Some of the eminent performers and professors who have been his students include Pandit Omkar Nath Raina, Professor Nancy Dhar, Professor Usha Bagati, Professor Rifet Jabeen, BL Koul (sitar) and late Mohd. Ashraf (music composer).
Even late Maharani Yashoraj Laxmi of the Royal family of J&K state was his disciple.
His legacy is carried forward by his son and grandson Abhay Rustum Sopori.
