Updated by admin on
Friday, September 19, 2014 04:13 PM IST
Chennai:
Mandolin U Srinivas, the child prodigy and game-changer who challenged the world by using a Western instrument for Carnatic music, passed away at 9 a.m. at a private hospital in Chennai on Friday following a failed liver transplant. He was just 45.
Uppalapu Srinivas, who hailed from Palakol in Andhra Pradesh, was born on February 28, 1969, fashioned his father Sathyanarayana's mandolin instrument into a powerful vehicle for Carnatic music at a young age. He gave his first public performance in 1978.
Srinivas was conferred the Padma Shri and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
Srinivas was ailing for some time and was being treated for liver failure at the Apollo Hospital. He recently received a liver transplant.
Srinivas was helped in his early days by his father’s guru Rudraraju Subburaju, a vocalist.
His family settled down in Chennai and had the blessings of late mridangam player P Upendran and his uncle, late tavil maestro Valangaiman Shanmugasundaram.
His concerts with the accompaniment of thavil were considered path-breaking. Late chief minister M G Ramachandran was highly impressed by his talent.
Several musicians like A R Rahman, singers Srinivas and Rahul Nambiar condoled his death.
