chitravina n ravikirans association with the late legend pandit shivkumar sharma goes back a long way the two of them have worked together for the betterment of music performed at festivals and attended music conferences every year speaking about him ravikiran says ive known him for 3540years now i first met him at a festival and it was a brief interaction later in the 1980s he attended a concert of mine at the festival of india in pairs even when i was a teenager he used to be a big superstar since then we have worked in several festivals in europe the usa and india he was one of the most gentle and cultured artistes one can see his art spoke for itself he made an instrument like santoor home to the most exquisite music he was a household name throughout the world as he not just had indian listeners but globally he had fans and admirers ravikiran says that pandit shivkumar and he have worked together at several music conferences we lobbied the prime minister for greater exposure to culture we have worked together for the betterment of music culture and arts by being part of several conferences he was a passionate champion of indian culture and the greatest contributor he saysrecollecting one of the fond memories ravikiran says i will never forget the day he and zakkir hussain ji did the soundcheck for my concert in london i was 18 or 19 at that time but he graciously came over backstage to do this for me he was so downtoearththe last time ravikiran interacted with the late legend was before covid we used to talk over the phone regarding culturerelated aspects i used to discuss some of my environmental initiatives which he wholeheartedly supported i knew him at both professional and personal levels it is a huge loss indeed we should mourn his death and celebrate his life says ravikiran