San Diego/New Delhi, Dec 12 (IBNS): Politicians and eminent personalities from different sections of the society joined the rest of the country in mourning the death of Pandit Ravi Shankar on Wednesday and shared their thoughts and memories of the legendary Indian musician and sitar exponent on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Milind Deora, minister of state for communications & IT, tweeted: “Being a maestro wasn't his only achievement. Pandit Ravi Shankar sold Brand India better than anyone else. RIP.”
India's ambassador to the United States Nirupama Rao said: "Pandit Ravi Shankar: his last concert was particularly poignant. Anoushka and he played together in perfect unison. A torch was passed."
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi reacted: “Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar was the legendary musician who gave new identity to Indian classical music. May his soul rest in peace.”
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien tweeted: “The Music just died...Pandit Ravi Shankar. Pandit Ravi Shankar once graced the Rajya Sabha. In tribute, we shouldn't observe a minute's silence. Let's have the sitar playing gently.”
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur posted: “Pt. Ravi Shankar's music will live with us forever. Amazing man, Amazing artist. Amazing life, amazingly lived. Amazing creative force. Pt Ravi Shankar. Showed us what India's soft power really is. Not business, but Art. Remember him playing at Chetan Anand's home. When I first went 2 London as a student, Pt Ravi Shankar was a rockstar. That I knew him personally made me 1 in eyes of all d girls :)”
Singer Lata Mangeshkar tweeted: "Jinhone bhartiya shastriya sangeet ko saari duniya me pohochaya,aise mahan sangeet yogi pandit ravi shankar ji aaj humare bich nahi rahe,lekin unke sitar ke sur samast vishwa par hamesha raj karte rahenge iska mujhe yaqeen hai. Aise mahan kalakar ko main ,aur pura mangeshkar pariwaar namrata purvak shraddhanjali arpit karta hai (The great Pandit Ravi Shankarji, who helped in reaching Indian classical music to the International platform, is no more with us. I believe that the tune of his sitar will continue to rule across the globe. I along with my family pay rich tributes to the legendary artist)."
Actor Rahul Bose reacted: “With pt ravi shankar's passing, passes an era. first heard him as a kid in 1980. he leaves us all permanently enriched.”
Actor Anupam Kher said: “Pt. Ravi Shankar’s Sitar played for our souls. His music helped us sooth our nerves. His smile was like his music- DIVINE. RIP.”
Writer Shobhaa De tweeted: “The sitar silenced.”
Musician Ehsaan Noorani said: “Ravi Shankar the maestro has begun his journey to the stars what this man did for Indian music globally is something to remember.”
Actor Karan Johar posted: “RIP #Ravishankar....the man who made classical...eternal.”
Music composer AR Rahman tweeted: "Indian Classical Music has lost its chief ambassador & India its Bharat Ratna..May God bless his soul !"
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said: “Pandit Ravi Shanker a national treasure has "left us forever". But his music will resonate in the consciousness of the world forever!!”
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted: “Saddened by the loss of brilliance. RIP Pt Ravi Shankar ji. The sitar maestro will be missed. Strength to the family.”
Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra tweeted: “The end of an era in Music.We have lost too many legends this year.. My condolences to the family..RIP Shri Pandit Ravi Shankar.”
Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar reacted: “Saddened to hear of the maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar's, demise. Condolences to his family, his friends and billions of listeners.”
Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: “Pandit Ravi Shankar was a legend in music and he took classical music to new heights.”
Actor Lisa Ray tweeted: “RIP Pandit Ravi Shankar. Grateful for the music maestro.”
Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor said: "A legend no more. He put indian classical music on the map! RT@ndtvfeed: Ravi Shankar, Indian sitarist, dies at 92."
Reacting to the demise of Ravi Shankar, sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee said in a statement: “Pt. Ravi Shankar passing away is the end of an era in Indian Music. I had the privilege of meeting him on last October 14 when he came to attend my concert in San Diego. He blessed me and said that of all musicians of my generation, I was endowed with special talent in classical music.”
“He asked me to ensure that I remain true to my music and take this legacy forward. He was 92 and appeared frail but his mind was sharp as ever. The end is always inevitable and but when legends leave us, it is the greatest tragedy,” Chatterjee said.
Ravi Shankar passed away at age 92 at a San Diego hospital in United States on Tuesday, leaving behind countless mourners from every walks of life and a musical legacy that he built over a lifetime of dedication to the plucked string instrument and international collaborations, including the Beatles.
The musical legend was ailing for quite some years and on Dec 6 he was admitted at the Scripps Memorial Hospital here.
