Drupad maestro and Padma Shri awardee Ramakant Gundecha passed away in Bhopal on Friday evening. He was the younger one among the Gundecha brothers.
Mr. Ramakant's cousin Akhilesh Gundecha, a pakhawaj player with the brothers, confirmed to The Hindu that the death took place in an ambulance. He suffered chest pain at Habibganj Railway Station while waiting for a train to Pune.
Pandit Suresh Chand Tanted, convenor of the six-decade old Abhinav Kala Parishad, where the brothers have performed several times, said, "It is a terrible loss to the arts and culture fraternity. Everyone is upset with the parting of the brothers."
How the Gundecha Brothers revived the dhrupad
International sitar player Smita Nagdev said, "It was a wonderful evening yesterday when we heard the brothers sing at a literature fest. But it's an irreparable loss for us."
On Thursday, the brothers performed at the Vishwa Rang - Tagore International Literature and Arts Festival in Bhopal.
(From left) Akhilesh, Ramakant and Umakant Gundecha perform at the Tagore International Literature and Arts Festival in Bhopal on November 7, 2019. Ramakant Gundecha passed away on November 8.
Chief Minister Kamal Nath said: “His demise has left a vacuum in the field of music in the country. I pray that his soul rests in peace and the family has the moral courage to bear the loss.”
Gundecha Brothers unravel dhrupad's beauty
The brothers performed Drupad, one of the oldest classical Hindustani musical forms in the world. They were also the founders of the Gurukul Drupad Sansthan in Bhopal.
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