Shiv Kumar Sharma

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (born January 13, 1938 in Jammu & Kashmir), is a master santoor player. Santoor, a folk instrument of the Kashmir valley, is type of hammered dulcimer in which two light carved wooden mallets are used to strike its strings. Sufiana mausiqi, a specific type of singing was accompanied by santoor in early twentieth century. Santoor in earlier times was called shata-tantri veena. Pandit Shivkumar Sharma followed the Hindustani classical music tradition.

It was his father, Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, a disciple of Pandit Bade Ramdasji of Benares gharana and a well-known vocalist from Jammu discovered santoor. He carried out extensive research into its possibilities and passed on the responsibility of propagating the santoor to Shivkumar, his only son. Following this, Shivkumar’s son, Rahul has taken to santoor and accompanies his father in concerts since the age of 24 in 1996. Together, they released Sampradaya on Real World Records in 1999. Rahul Sharma, younger son of Shivkumar, carries on the tradition of the Sharma family since 1997 when he began performing in India and abroad.

Education and Musical Career

Shivkumar Sharma not only mastered the santoor, but also learnt tabla and is also a vocalist. He single-handedly made the santoor into a popular classical instrument that today the santoor has become synonymous with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. He later modified santoor to suit his classical technique. He increased the range of the instrument to three full octaves and made it capable of a smoother meend (the gliding between notes in Hindustani classical music for emulating the human voice). He sustained notes and maintained the continuity of the sound by a new technique of playing.

Along with well-known musicians including Ustad Zakir Hussain, the tabla maestro, Sharma has performed numerous concerts. Partnering Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, the master flautist, the duo formed Shiv-Hari to compose Hindi film music.

Important works

For over a quarter century, Sharma worked with a number of music directors including music director Vasant Desai. He composed and played for Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (a film by V. Shantaram), and Silsila with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (a film by Yash Chopra) in 1980. HMV released his first long-playing album in 1960. ‘Call of the Valley’ released in 1967, a raga-based thematic album, became a best-seller in Indian Classical music.

Awards / Achievement

Shivkumar Sharma received the ‘Padma Vibushan’, the second highest award to a citizen in India, in 2001. He is a recipient of numerous awards such as Gold Disc (for music of film Faasle), Platinum Disc (for Call of the Valley), Platinum Disc (for music of film Chandni), Special Award for outstanding music and sale of film Lamhe as well as Darr, Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1986), Nazr-E-Khusro (the Amir Khusro Society of America's Award for his contribution to Indian Classical Music in 1987), Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar (1990), Shatatantri Shiromani (Jodhpur in 1990), Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskari (Mumbai in 1990), Padmashree (1991), Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Award (1996), and Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Award (1998). The Raagmala Society of Toronto honored him in 1996 for his contribution to Indian music as India's musical ambassador at-large. He was conferred honorary citizenship of the city of Baltimore, USA (1985). He received honorary doctorate (1991) and the honorary doctorate of letters (1994) from the University of Jammu.