Annapurna Devi, legendary Hindustani classical musician, dies in Mumbai

Legendary musician Annapurna Devi died at Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai on Saturday, hospital officials said. She was 91.

She breathed her last at 3.51 am. She was suffering from age related issues for the past few years, a spokesperson of Annapurna Devi Foundation, Mumbai said.

Annapurna Devi was a surbahar player of Hindustani classical music. She was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award. 

Many believe that Bollywood classic ‘Abhimaan’ starring Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya was based on the real life story of Ravi Shankar and Annapurna Devi.  

'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. 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. 

Her students include Aashish Khan (sarod), Amit Bhattacharya (sarod), Bahadur Khan (sarod), Basant Kabra (sarod), Hariprasad Chaurasia (bansuri), Jotin Bhattacharya (sarod), Nikhil Banerjee (sitar), Nityanand Haldipur (bansuri), Peter Klatt (sitar), Pradeep Barot (sarod), Sandhya Phadke (sitar), Saswatti Saha (sitar), Sudhir Phadke (sitar), Suresh Vyas (sarod).

President Ram Nath Kovind was among those expressed condolences on her death. "Sorry to hear of the passing of classical musician and surbahar exponent Annapurna Devi. A legatee of her father and guru Baba Allaudin Khan, she was a rare talent and a generous teacher. Her life will always serve as a poignant inspiration for women artistes," President Kovind tweeted. 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed grief over the death of the legendary musician. "Saddened at the passing away of Annapurna Devi...My condolences to her family and admirers," Banerjee posted on her twitter handle.

(With PTI inputs)