Renowned Hindustani classical musician Annapurna Devi passes away

Mumbai, October 13: Renowned Hindustani musician Annapurna Devi passed away at the Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai today. She was 91. According to hospital officials, the legendary singer breathed her last at 3.51 am. She was suffering from age-related issues for the last few years. Annapurna Devi was an Indian Surbahar player of Hindustani classical music and she was the daughter and disciple of Allauddin Khan.

 

She was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award.'Ma', as she was popularly addressed, was born in Madhya Pradesh's Maihar town to Ustad 'Baba' Allauddin Khan and Madina Begum. She was the youngest of four children, the spokesperson said.

World renowned maestro, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, was her sibling.

Annapurna Devi was a disciple of her father whose inestimable contribution to Indian music resulted in the Senia-Maihar gharana. Her training started early when she was around five years old and she graduated from the sitar to her chosen instrument, the surbahar.

She remained a recluse for most of her life. Much of her time was dedicated to teaching a small but select group of students.

She was married to sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and had a son, Shubhendra 'Shubho' Shankar, who passed away in 1992. In 1982, she married Rooshikumar Pandya, a management consultant. Pandya passed away in 2013