Eminent Tablist Radhakanta Nanda No More

Cuttack: Noted tabla player and music director of Odisha, Radhakanta Nanda passed away today at the age of 58. Nanda was battling cancer and admitted to a private hospital in Cuttack where he breathed his last today.

"He was suffering from biliary cancer and was under treatment for about a year. His health condition deteriorated 5-6 days back and he was moved to a nursing home in Bhubaneswar and then to the hospital in Cuttack. Still, he showed no signs of improvement," informed his son, Bibhuprasad Nanda.

"He was in Delhi for treatment for 4-5 months and then he was shifted to Bhubaneswar and finally to Cuttack, where he lost his life," informed a family member.

Nanda had earned fame as an eminent tabla player in the State and worked in several regional movies and bhajans.

Nanda recently was honoured by the State government with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award on November 13 for his contribution to music. On November 30, he was nominated for the Odia Music Excellence Award.