Obituary
By Suman Doonga*
Pandit Debu Chaudhuri’s contribution in the field of Indian music has been immense
Pandit Devabrata (Debu) Chaudhuri, an eminent Indian sitarist and teacher failed to rise this morning. On 1 May 2021 the legendary artist passed away due to Covid-19 and heart related complications in Delhi. He was born on 1935 in Mymensingh (Bangladesh). He started playing sitar when he was four years old. In 1953 his first radio programme was on air at All India Radio when he was eighteen years old.
Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri had performed across the world and won several honourable awards such as the Padma Bhushan in the year of 1992, Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindustani Music – Instrumental (Sitar) in the year of 1996.
Besides being a sitarist, he had also written six books and had composed various music and eight new ragas which are – Kalyani Bilawal, Palas- Sarang, Anuranjani, Ashiqui Lalit, Bisweswari, Swanandeswari, Shivamanjari and Prabhati Manjari (in the memory of his wife Manju).
He is considered as one of the greatest sitar player and also regarded as one of the leading exponents of Senia style. He recorded 24 CDs for 24 hours in the United States. He was also the former dean and head faculty of Music in Delhi University from 1985 to 1988. In April 2010 he started the Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan (UMAK) center for Culture in the memory of his guru Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan. Moreover the demise of such a legendary artist, is a great loss to the Indian music world.
Prateek Chaudhuri, Pandit Debu Chaudhuri’s son, announced the demise of his father on his Facebook page. He said – “My father, the Legend of Sitar, Pandit Debu Chaudhuri is no more. He was admitted with Covid along with dementia complications and was put in ICU on a ventilator around midnight today (1 May 2021) after which he suffered a heart attack and could not be revived. In spite of all efforts and prayers he could not be saved”.
Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, a proficient personality, who’s contribution in the field of Indian music is immense, will always remain in our heart.
*Suman Doonga is Director Media of SPICMACAY
