Odia Music Maestro Shantanu Mohapatra No More

Bhubaneswar: Eminent Odia music director Shantanu Mohapatra passed away at a private hospital here on Wednesday. He was 85.

Mohapatra lost his long battle with acute pneumonia and kidney ailment at 12.30 am, informed Kousik Mohapatra, son of the legendary music director.

A multi-talented artist of Odisha, Mohapatra was associated with Odia music industry for almost 60 years. He had directed the music of many heart touching songs in several blockbuster Odia movies including Suryamukhi, Arundhati, Chilika Tire and Dora.

He composed first Modern Odia ballad “Konark Gatha” with lyrics by Lyricist Gurukrushna Goswami and sung by Akshay Mohanty. Another evergreen song ‘Kalijae’ which was sung by Sikandar Alam is also one of his contributions.

Initially, he had made his debut in the industry as a music composer. The legendary music director is the first modern lullaby in AIR (‘Soi pada re dhana’ sung by Santilata Rout), first qawali (ae ranga rahiba nahi from Surjyamukhi), first bhangra tune, first fusion and jumping note (Ago Chandrika by Raghunath Panigrahi) to name a few.

A host of dignitaries including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, eminent personalities from music and film industries have condoled the demise of Mohapatra.

In his message, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said that Mohapatra was an indomitable figure in Indian music. He had sacrificed his entire life for music, the CM stated.

"His contribution to music industry will keep him alive in the hearts of millions of music lovers. Odisha has lost one of his greatest sons. May his soul rest in peace," the CM mentioned through a release.

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed his grief over the demise of Mohapatra.

ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ସଙ୍ଗୀତ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ ଶାନ୍ତନୁ ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ । ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସମେତ ଅନେକ ଭାଷାର ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ରରେ ସଙ୍ଗୀତ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶନା ଦେଇ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗତ ମହାପାତ୍ର ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର ପରିଚୟ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିଥିଲେ । ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ବର୍ଗକୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରୁଛି ।

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) December 30, 2020

BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda has also expressed his deep condolences over the sudden death of the music maestro. In a tweet, Panda described Mohapatra as a multilingual music director.

#Odisha ର ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ବହୁଭାଷୀ ସଙ୍ଗୀତ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ ଶାନ୍ତନୁ ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ପରଲୋକ ଖବର ଶୁଣି @PandaJay ଅତ୍ଯନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିଛନ୍ତି। ସେ ଥିଲେ ପ୍ରଥମ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଯିଏ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଭାଷାରେ ସଙ୍ଗୀତ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶନା ଦେଇଥିଲେ। ଶ୍ରୀ ପଣ୍ଡା ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରକୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇ ଦିବଂଗତ ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିଛନ୍ତି। ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି🙏🙏

— Baijayant Panda Odia (@Panda_Odia) December 30, 2020