Veteran Carnatic musician Sripada Pinakapani today passed away in Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. He was 100.
He had been confined to the bed for some time now and he passed away today, sources said.
He was a medical doctor by profession, who gained excellence in Carnatic classical music. The President of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1984, for his outstanding contribution to Carnatic classical music as a vocalist and an erudite scholar.
He was also conferred Andhra Pradesh Sangeetha Natak Academy Award in 1966 and the Sangeetha Kalanidhi by the Madras Music Academy in 1983.
Pinkapani was born at Priya Agraharam of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. He passed out in April 1938 from the Andhra Medical College (AMC), Visakhapatnam and completed an MD in general medicine in December 1945 also from AMC.
He worked as Assistant Professor at Madras Medical College from 1944 to 1949 and later at the AMC.
Pinkapani had a successful career performing at major festivals and concerts.
His disciples include Carnatic vocalists Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana Malladi Suri Babu, Malladi brothers and many others.
He wrote several books on Carnatic classical music in both Telugu and English, like 'Mano Dharma Sangeetam', Mela Raga Malika', 'Sangeeta Sowrabham' and 'Pallavu Gaana Sudha, besides 'Gaanakalasarvasvamu', which has minute details of Carnatic compositions.
