President Ram Nath Kovind, Lata Mangeshkar, And Shivraj Singh Chouhan Pay Last Respects To Legendary Hindustani Musician Annapurna Devi

Legendary Hindustani musician Annapurna Devi passed away at the age of 91 on Saturday, October 13, at Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai. The Hospital authorities confirmed her demise at around 03:51 a.m. As per reports, a spokesperson of Mumbai based Annapurna Devi Foundation revealed that the musician was suffering from age-related issues for the past few years which caused her death. 

Annapurna Devi who was given the name by Maharaja Brijnath Singh of the former Maihar Estate was a surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani classical music. She achieved a lot of fame with her performance and has received several prestigious awards for the same. She was a Padma Bhushan awardee and received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (the highest Indian honour in performing arts). Moreover, she has also achieved a lifetime honour as she was appointed as the "Ratna" or jewel fellow in the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

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While several politicians and eminent personalities, including President of India Ram Nath Kovind extended condolences following the demise of the legendary musician, Netizens also mourned the demise of Annapurna Devi.

Here are the Tweets of eminent personalities who grieved the loss:

President Ram Nath Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind mourned the death of Annapurna Devi. He took to Twitter and wrote, "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 #PresidentKovind"

Lata Mangeshkar

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar also mourned the loss of Annapurna Devi and tweeted, "Ustaad Allauddin Khan sahab ki beti aur shishya,Ustad Ali Akbar Khan sahab ki behen,Pandit Ravi Shankar ji ki dharma patni,swar sadhika Annapurna Devi ji ke swargwas ki vaarta sunkar mujhe bahut dukh hua.."

M. Venkaiah Naidu 

Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu also remembered the musician. He took to Twitter and said, "Saddened by the passing away of legendary Hindustani Classical Musician, Annapurna Devi. She left a rich legacy & her death is a great loss to the world of music. #AnnapurnaDevi"

Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan paid his respects to the award-winning musician. In his tweet, he said, "Grieved to hear of the demise of surbahar virtuoso #AnnapurnaDevi. The founder of the acclaimed Maihar Gharana, the passing of the legendary musician is a big loss to Indian Classical Music and Madhya Pradesh. Extending my deepest condolence to her family & loved ones."

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Mamata Banerjee

The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee also mourned the death of Annapurna Devi. In her tweet, she wrote, "Saddened at the passing away of Annapurna Devi, the founder of Maihar Gharana. My condolences to her family and admirers."

Annapurna Devi was the daughter of Allauddin Khan whose unmeasurable contribution to Indian music has created the Senia-Maihar Gharana. She was trained since a very young age. When Annapurna Devi was just five years old, she mastered the art of playing the Sitar and chose to practice surbahar. World-renowned maestro, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, was her sibling and she was married to Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, who passed away in 2012. Annapurna Devi and Ravi Shankar got divorced in 1961, after which the Sitar maestro went on to settle in the United States of America. In 1982 she married Rooshikumar Pandya, a management consultant, who passed away in 2013, due to a cardiac arrest.