Ace Sitar player Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri dies of COVID-19 complications

Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri died on Saturday of Covid-19 related complications. He was 85. Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri’s son Prateek Chaudhuri took to Facebook to share the news of his father’s demise. He wrote, “My Father, The Legend of Sitar, Pandit Debu Chaudhuri… is no more. He was admitted with Covid along with dementia complications and was put in ICU on ventilator around midnight today (1st May 2021)..after which he suffered a heart attack and could not be revived…..In spite of all efforts and prayers he could not be saved. A to the World of Sitar and Indian Music. Great loss. In grief.. Prateek Chaudhuri (myself) Runa Chaudhuri (my wife), Rayana Chaudhuri (my daughter) and Adhiraj Chaudhuri (my son).”

Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri was admitted to New Delhi’s Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital earlier this week after he tested positive for Covid-19 and his oxygen saturation level dropped sharply. On Friday evening, the sitarist’s condition worsened, and he was put on a non-invasive ventilator support. He breathed his last in the early hours of Saturday. The maestro is known for his contributions in the field of music with a career over six decades. He bagged several prestigious titles, including Padmabhushan, the Padmashree and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.Besides being an ace sitarist and composer of eight new ragas, he was also an educationist and author.