SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
A titan passes into
the ages
Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma who raised the profile of a little known folk instrument from J&K, passed away from renal ailments this week. Pandit jee started his santoor journey at the age of 13 and was also adept at the tabla, playing as an accompanist for the likes of Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Abar Khan. He formed a successful partnership with Hari Prasad Chaurasia for composing film music besides regaling audiences worldwide with his craft.
He was honoured both nationally and internationally with the Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan along with an honorary citizenship of the city of Baltimore, USA. Pandit jee was the first artist from India to perform at the Nobel Prize ceremony giving company to the likes of music giants like Elton John, Phil Collins and Alanis Morissette. Thousands clamoured to be his students, some he took under his wing but never charged a fee for his efforts. Our cultural world is poorer by his demise but his music shall continue to enthral people in the coming generations.
India has lost a shining star from its galaxy of greats; rest in peace Pandit jee, the Gods in heaven must be enjoying the mellifluous notes of your 100 stringed santoor now.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
It’s time govt should listen to Goans
We should thank Claude Alvares and all the people of Goa against the double lanning of the track which was not affecting the people of North Goa but affecting the people of South Goa. The double tracking would put the people’s houses close to the tracks at risk. The project was not benefiting the Goan people at all but benefiting the coal transportation of industrialists causing health problems to the Goan population of Vasco to Mollem stretch.
Hence it is advisable to directly transport the coal to Karnataka instead of bringing to Goa and transporting by rail and road to Karnataka. Hope that at least after the Supreme Court judgement the government of Goa will open their eyes and scrap all the three linear projects immediately to protect the ecology which will have a disastrous effect if other two projects are allowed. Let all the Goans come together to fight tooth and nail to scrap the other projects.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Salute Goa's
eco warriors
The recent Supreme Court judgment of stopping of 2 Linear Projects including Railways Double Tracking in the controversial sector, is a huge relief for genuine Goans wanting to preserve Goa for posterity particularly also for the forests, wildlife, ecosystems, etc, who have no voice to protest against vested interests seeking their destruction.
Organisations like Goencho Ekvott, Goencho Avaz, Goa Foundation, Save Mollem, etc, were pivotal here in leading an organised, persistent and sustained campaign on all fronts (including Legal) against a Goa Govt which is totally out of sync when it comes to Global Warming, Climate Change, sustainable development and preservation of the environment. Surely there were also other genuine organisations and individuals who also contributed to the fight; and they also deserve credit!
I know that life of a genuine eco warrior/activist is not easy; it is a thankless job. Activists have to sustain the fight from their own income and many times sacrifice lot of personal things including time, family life, luxuries, etc, often becoming targets of unjustified criticism from many with vested interests or those who do nothing but criticise.
Despite all these and so many other challenges it is an exceptional feat for these activists to pull off the impossible; particularly against the might of the Govt, politicians, bureaucrats, corporations all backed by unlimited sources of funding and resources.
It is this kind of people which give hope that Goa has a fighting chance to survive and also an inspiration to hopefully lead others to join the fight!
Arwin Mesquita,
Colva
Illegal construction
at Old Goa
More than 165 days passed since the Satyagraha, protests and movement for Save Old Goa has been working tirelessly to get the Old Goa illegal structure demolished which is belonging to a BJP National committee functionary. This movement started in November 2021 with thousands of Goans participating in the movement protesting and requesting the authorities to pull down this illegal structure erected at the famous world heritage precincts of Old Goa. After many requests and representations, the Old Goa Panchayat has scrutinised and inspected and concluded that all the papers and documents used to obtain construction licence even from the town and country planning and other departments are fraudulent and failed to stop this illegality.
The Government of the day is dragging its feet on this serious issue. This Sarkar with zero tolerance to corruption and illegalities has made a mockery of Goa and Goans with this issue being unresolved.
Goans are peace loving people and have tried all peaceful means for so many issues in Goa. Recently another monstrous palace type huge structure has come up near Old Goa, belonging to an ex BJP minister and the Government went ahead and legalised it, setting up a bad precedent for others to follow.
This Government is elected by the people for another term and must listen to the wishes and sentiments of the people and do away with such illegalities.
Go ahead, issue orders and demolish this illegal structure at Old Goa immediately.
Mathew J D’Costa,
Curchorem
Must take precautions against pandemic
It was a hasty decision taken by the government to relax the Covid-19 restrictions in some States of India like Maharashtra. There are some States in the country who are now witnessing a steady rise in the number of infections.
Covid-19 restrictions should be implemented once again across the entire country.
Even if you have taken all the three doses of the vaccine, don't stop wearing your mask. You will never know when you will get infected with the virus. Precaution is better than cure.
When the government relaxes the laws, it always advises to wear masks since the virus can silently affect people.
Jubel D'Cruz,
Mumbai
India loses another illustrious son
In the passing of Santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, the nation has lost one of its most illustrious sons, who aggrandised the string instrument to the status of Sitar and Sarod, and placed it on a high pedestal in Indian classical music through his works.
Cascading flow of notes effusing from his stringed instrument belonging to the folk circuit of Jammu and Kashmir, would waft through the wind and would transport the connoisseurs to a state of trance, and send them into rapturous delight.
It was his deep passion and determination that took Santoor, so inherent to its culture, to the glorious status of classical instrument at the international level.
With Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, he composed music for many Hindi films, including Silsila, Chandni and Darr. For his gargantuan contribution to Indian classical music, the nation must confer the highest civilian award of Bharat Ratna posthumously on Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, which he richly deserves.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
