Pandit Ulhas Bapat, santoor maestro and close associate of RD Burman, dies at 67

Twenty-four years after the death of renowned Indian music composer RD Burman, his close friend and santoor maestro Pandit Ulhas Bapat too sadly passed away, aged 67, on Thursday.

Bapat died in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, according to ABP Majha , and had been hospitalised for several weeks prior to his death.

Pandit Ulhas Bapat was born on 31 August 1950. At the age of five, he started learning tabla under Ramakant Mhapsekar. But he took up the santoor after seeing it at a musical instrument shop. He studied under veterans like Zarin Daroowala Sharma, Pandit KG Ginde, and Pandit Wamanrao Sadolikar among others for a more nuanced musical education.

His relationship with Pancham da started with the film Ghar in 1978 and continued for 16 years until 1942: A Love Story in 1994, when the composer died of a heart attack.

For around three decades, he had been actively playing the santoor at classical music programmes and films. His mellifluous renditions had earned him fans around the world. In 1988, on his very first US tour, he went on to do 20 shows in different American states. During that tour he performed, with many international musical stalwarts. The tunes and melodies of Pandit Ulhas Bapat have been discussed in great detail by various music analysts due to his unique style and it is not likely to stop even with the legend’s passing.