Date:10/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/10/stories/2008041052630400.htm

New Delhi

Sharan Rani’s death condoled

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Sangeet Natak Akademi and its associate bodies have expressed grief over the demise of sarod maestro Sharan Rani Backliwal who passed away in the Capital on Tuesday.

Sharan Rani was born in Delhi in 1929 and received training under Ustad Allaudin Khan and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. She began performing at an early age and toured the U.S., Britain, France and the Soviet Union among other countries. A radio artiste of repute, Sharan Rani – better known as “Sarod Rani” -- had to her credit a vast number of gramophone records, audio-cassettes and CDs.

An avid collector of rare old instruments, Sharan Rani donated her collection to the National Museum, where these are displayed in a special gallery.

She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1968 and Padma Bhushan in 2000. She was also bestowed the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986.