obituary

Krishnakumar Kunnath (1968-2022): Singing for India

Kaveree Bamzai

KK’s career was the embodiment of a unique diversity

“I Am Not a Musician. I Am Only a Medium”

Vikram Zutshi

Shiv Kumar Sharma was a friend, philosopher and guide. A personal tribute by Vikram Zutshi

Shiv Kumar Sharma (1938-2022): The Sound of Kashmir

Kaveree Bamzai

The santoor maestro epitomises the dictum that music has no religion

Shane Warne (1969-2022): The Imperfect Perfectionist

Boria Majumdar

Shane Warne sometimes did not realise how good he was

Shane Warne (1969-2022): The Buccaneer, and a Magician

Sabin Iqbal

A maverick who made leg spin look cool

Bappi Lahiri (1952-2022): Dancing to His Own Tune

Kaveree Bamzai

He composed memorable songs in forgettable movies but the remix revolution has kept his music alive

Rahul Bajaj (1938-2022): Scooter Man

Madhavankutty Pillai

Bajaj’s business didn’t just survive but grew in liberalised India

The Heart of the Song

Rachel Dwyer

Lata sang for all of us. Her voice was instantly recognisable. Whoever the star, she brought us into the heroine’s inner life

She showed me a gramophone record made of gold. All the songs she sang in the UK were on it. Could I give her a letter for the Bombay Customs Commissioner, asking him not to charge any duty as the record had been presented to her?

An Art of Meditation

AR Rahman

She was simply magical behind the mike, and she wasn’t afraid to make mistakes or try something new. Her understanding of music was beyond ragas and talas, it was deeper than that