AMN
The Great Master Musician Pandit Shamboo Nath Sopori passed away today at his residence in Delhi. He was 98. A versatile musician, he had command over languages like Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi and Kashmiri.
Panditji had a huge repertoire of compositions in these languages. His legacy is carried forward by his son Pandit Bhajan Sopori and grandson Abhay Rustum Sopori…
legendary Pandit Shamboo Nath Sopori, popularly known as ‘Masterjee’, hailed as the ‘Father of Music’ in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, He is a musician and a musicologist with phenomenal energy, artistic qualities, devotion, dedication and perfection. A legendary name in the musical history of Jammu and Kashmir, he has been the Guru and Ustad of thousands of disciples and Hindustani classical & light music grew with him in the State. Sitar, Santoor and Classical vocal are his forte. His legacy is being carried forward by his son, the legendary music great Pandit Bhajan Sopori and grandson, the young music maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori.
A large number of professionals, music performers and teachers are his students. Some of the eminent performers and professors include Pandit Omkar Nath Raina, Prof. Krishna Labroo, Prof. Nancy Dhar, Prof. Usha Bagati, Prof. Rifet Jabeen, Dr. B.L.Koul (Sitar), Late Sh. Mohd. Ashraf (Music Composer), Prof. Jai Kishori Kaul, Prof. Hawa Bashir, Dr. Rajkumari Magazine, Smt. Rita Kaul, Prof. Sunaina Kaul (Vocal), Sh. Jawahar Kaul (Santoor), Sh. Sai Abdul Langoo (Tabla), Sh. Abdul Majeed (Rabab), Bollywood singer Smt. Neerja Pandit, and the ‘Melody Queens’ of J&K State – Smt. Shameem Azad and Prof. Kailash Mehra. Late Maharani Yashoraj Laxmi ji of the Royal family of J&K State was also Panditji’s disciple.
Pandit Shamboo Nath Sopori had been the pioneer in bringing the Classical music to the masses. He single handedly initiated the mass popularization of Indian music and practically made J&K State a new cultural centre with virtually every classical musician in the State as his taught. He introduced Hindustani classical music as a subject initially in S.P. Higher Secondary School for boys and later in the Girls College at Maulana Azad Road, Teachers Training College, etc. and paved the way for the musicians to grow and make music a source of lively hood. It’s due to the pioneering and dedicated efforts of Panditji that musicians got a prestigious status in the State.
‘Sangeet Mahavidyalaya’, the School purely of Indian Classical music and Dance that Pandit S.N. Sopori started in the Valley was the main music institution of the State and also the centre for holding Hindustani Classical music and Dance concerts regularly in the State which featured the recitals of various luminaries of the country.
Music being in the blood and life itself, he would inspire people from all walks of life to sing and awaken them to the nuances of melody and notes and it all started with the punch line, ice-breaker “Sur Lagaoo”. This practice gradually brought him to the pinnacle of popularity and people over a period of time gradually developed a curiosity to learn more and more from him and would ask him to teach more. They found in him their affectionate and loving teacher whom with utmost regard and respect they called “Masterjee”.