Remembering Ananda Shankar

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Ananda and Tanusree with their daughter Sreenanda
Ananda and Tanusree with their daughter Sreenanda

Ananda Shankar, pioneer of Indian fusion music blending classical traditions with modern sounds

You must at some time have heard the music compositions of Ananda Shankar. He came from a distinguished musical lineage — the son of Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar, and the nephew of Ravi Shankar.

He was among the first musicians to experiment with East–West fusion, but notably he approached it from the East rather than merely adapting Western forms. Though criticised by purists, he maintained a clear conviction:

“We must preserve the classical styles of dance and music in their authentic form. But we can go ahead and create our own styles.”

He was truly an original. In many ways he was creating what we now call world music long before the term itself became popular. Open-minded and farsighted, he opened a door to possibilities in music that continue to feel relevant even today.

For those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, it was almost impossible to miss his music. He and his troupe appeared at many major events, including the opening ceremony of the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

Those were the years when state broadcasters ruled the airwaves, and Doordarshan played his music constantly — during news breaks, regular programme breaks, and even the unscheduled technical interruptions that viewers of that era will remember well.

His music inevitably brings back a wave of nostalgia. I still listen to it quite regularly. I am not entirely sure what makes me reach out to it. Perhaps it is the faint echo of the past — fragments of memory that bring comfort. Or perhaps it is the quiet search for a time that somehow never quite ended.

I am sharing below the title track from his album Missing You, along with a few photographs of him.

Young Ananda Shankar with parents Uday and Amala Shankar
Young Ananda Shankar with parents Uday and Amala Shankar




[10/12/2021, 10:33] Raj Mahimkar: https://youtu.be/Tom-CkgZE_o
[10/12/2021, 10:33] Raj Mahimkar: Young Ananda Shankar with parents Uday and Amala Shankar
[10/12/2021, 10:34] Raj Mahimkar: Ananda and Tanusree with their daughter Sreenanda

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