Odisha Music Director Shantanu Mohapatra Passes Away

Legendary music director Shantanu Mohapatra passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday night. He was 84.

Mohapatra was suffering from acute pneumonia and other old-age related ailment, informed family sources.

Mohapatra has been associated with Odia music industry for almost 60 years. He has many firsts to his credits in the field of Odia music as a music composer.

He composed the first Modern Odia ballad "Konark Gatha" with lyricist Gurukrushna Goswami and sung by Akshay Mohanty.

He also worked with several Bollywood artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Mohd Rafi, Manna Dey, Usha Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadekar, Anuradha Paudwal, Usha Uthup, and Kavita Krishnamurthy.

Born in Mayurbhanj district in 1936, the legendary music director was a geophysicist (an IIT-Kharagpur alumnus) and worked with Odisha Mining Corporation.

Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed their condolence on the demise of Mohapatra. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan also condoled the death of the music composer.

"As a lyricist and music director, he has left the shining signature of his talent. His entire life was dedicated to music. The music directed by him will keep him immortal forever," said the Chief Minister.

The last rites of Mohapatra will be performed with full state honour.