Padma Shri sitar maestro Pandit Manilal Nag dies at 87 in Kolkata

• Padma Shri-winning sitar maestro Pandit Manilal Nag dies at 87 in Kolkata due to age-related ailments

• Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari pays tribute, calling his death the end of an era in Indian classical music

• A celebrated exponent of the Bishnupur gharana, Nag received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2001 and Padma Shri in 2020

Renowned sitar maestro and Padma Shri awardee Pandit Manilal Nag, a distinguished exponent of the Bishnupur gharana, died in Kolkata on Monday night due to age-related ailments. He was 87.

Nag breathed his last at a private hospital in the city, marking the end of a remarkable musical journey spanning several decades.

Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed grief over the veteran musician's demise, describing it as the end of an era in Indian classical music.

In a social media post, Adhikari paid tribute to Nag, calling him a towering figure and a proud torchbearer of West Bengal's historic Bishnupur gharana.

He said Nag had taken the rich, Dhrupad-influenced musical tradition of the gharana to international audiences through his mastery of the sitar.

The chief minister also highlighted Nag's contribution to nurturing generations of musicians, saying his dedication to music and commitment to his disciples had made him an institution in himself.

Nag received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2001 and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2020 for his contribution to Indian classical music.

The West Bengal Information and Cultural Affairs Department announced that his mortal remains would be kept at the State Sangeet Academy, allowing followers, admirers and members of the public to pay their last respects.

Born on 16 August 1939, in Bankura district of West Bengal, Nag belonged to the illustrious Bishnupur gharana, renowned for its distinctive musical tradition rooted in Dhrupad.

He made history in 2001 by becoming the first musician from the Bishnupur gharana to receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

His contribution to music was also recognised by the West Bengal government, which conferred the Alauddin Purashkar on him in 2012 and the Banga Bibhushan in 2015.

Nag's death marks a significant loss for the world of Indian classical music and the Bishnupur gharana, whose musical legacy he helped preserve and promote.

With PTI inputs