Santoor maestro Pandit Bhajan Sopori dies at 73 in Gurugram hospital

Eminent santoor player Bhajan Sopori, 73, passed away at a Gurugram hospital on June 2. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in June last year. His son Abhay told news agency PTI, that Bhajan Sopori was admitted to Fortis for immunotherapy treatment three weeks back.

The Indian instrumentalist was often referred to as 'Saint of Santoor.'
Sopori was born in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in 1948. His family has been associated with santoor for seven generations. Sopori was trained by his grandfather SC Sopori and father Shambhoonath Sopori. At the age of 10, he gave his first public performance.

In 1993, Sopori received the Sangeet Natak Akadem award and the Padma Shri in 2004. He was honoured with a ₹5 stamp for his extraordinary work in the field of art and culture in 2011.

Bhajan Sopori is survived by his wife and two sons.

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