Date:02/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/02/stories/2008120257990200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Sound engineer Sridhar dead

Staff Reporter

H. Sridhar

CHENNAI: He could make any singer sound extraordinary. One of the best sound engineers in India, H. Sridhar passed away here on Monday, following a cardiac arrest. He was 48.

Sridhar, Chief Sound Engineer, Media Artists, had worked with A.R. Rahman as the chief sound engineer in all his films.

His ear for music and passion for audio engineering made him one of the best in his field. He entered the industry in 1988, when there was not any sophisticated technology.

Self-taught

His childhood friend and colleague Jayendra Panchapakesan of Real Image recalls the vibrant and fun-filled childhood they shared.

“He loved playing cricket in our colony at Mylapore.” When he was in Std. IX, he wanted to learn playing the guitar, and in two years, he taught himself to play the instrument with ease. “He is a completely self-taught audio-engineer, too,” Mr. Panchapakesan said.

A winner of the President’s Gold Medal (The National Award for Best Audiography) for ‘Mahanadi’ (1994), ‘Dil Se’ (1999), ‘Lagaan’ (2001) and ‘Kannathil Muththamittal’ (2003), he is considered the pioneer of the use of digital sound in Indian films in the DTS format.

Mr. Sridhar also worked with artists of international acclaim, including George Harrison of The Beatles, John Neptune Kaizan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar and John McLaughlin. Mr. Sridhar is survived by his wife and two sons.