Pandit Shivkumar Sharma cremated with full state honours

Santoor maestro Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma was on Wednesday cremated with full state honours in the presence of family and close friends. The 83-year-old musician died on Tuesday morning following a heart attack at his Pali Hill residence in Mumbai. Sharma, one of India's most well known classical musicians, was credited for taking santoor, the folk instrument from Jammu and Kashmir, to the global stage.

After a guard of honour in Juhu, where his mortal remains were kept for people to pay their respects, Sharma's funeral was held at Vile Parle's Pawan Hans Crematorium. The musician's family, including wife Manorama and sons Rahul and Rohit, his friends from the fraternity, including long-time collaborator Chaurasia and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, were present. Sharma's last rites were performed by his sons, followed by a gun salute. Earlier in the day, celebrities like megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, lyricist Javed Akhtar, music composer duo Jatin-Lalit and singer Ila Arun, among others paid their last respects at Abhijit Cooperative Housing Society.