Odia music maestro Shantanu Mohapatra passes away at 84

Odisha : Legendary Odia music director Shantanu Mohapatra has passed away on Wednesday, family sources said. He was 84.

He was suffering from age-related health issues from a long time. He suffered cardiac failure on Tuesday night. A large number of people gathered at his Palaspalli residence to pay their last tributes.

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Andhra Pradesh Governor B B Harichandan, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and many dignitaries condoled the demise of Mohapatra.

In a condolence message, Lal said Santanu Mohapatra was part of Odisha music for almost six decades and he will be remembered by all for long.

Patnaik described Mohapatra as an 'Unfading Talent'.

"As a lyricist and music director, he has left the shining signature of his talent. The music directed by him will keep him immortal forever," the chief minister said.

Noting that Odisha has lost a talent, Patnaik announced state honour for the departed music director.

Born at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district in 1936, Mohapatra has many firsts to his credits in the field of Odia music as a music composer like the first modern lullaby in AIR ('Soi pada re dhana' sung by Santilata Rout), first qawali (ae ranga rahiba nahi from Surjyamukhi), first bhangra tune, and first fusion and jumping note (Ago Chandrika by Raghunath Panigrahi).

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