Tollywood celebs mourn loss of Mandolin Srinivas - Times of India

It was a day of shock and disbelief as the news of Mandolin Srinivas' demise spread among the music and art fraternity in the city and nation. Mandolin Srinivas died aged just 45, due to complications following a liver transplant in Chennai, on Friday morning. Many could not believe the news about Srinivas for whom the moniker child prodigy stuck to him even when he grew up to be a music great, who performed with legendary performers. Hailing from Palakollu in West Godavari district, bending a Western string instrument to create sounds of Carnatic music, Mandolin Srinivas broke into music firmament at the age of nine in 1978 when he performed at Gudivada Thayagaraja Aradhana festival.

"Mandolin Srinivas was one of the true child prodigies we have ever had. It's really really sad that we've lost him and it's a big blow for the entire music fraternity. It's remarkable how he Indianised a Western instrument like a mandolin to compose Carnatic music. He was truly one of his kind," said singer Chinmayi Sripada.

SP Balasubramanium recalled the time when he first Mandolin Srinivas at Gemini studios in 1980. "I was amazed at the perfection with which he played all the gamakas on the tiny instrument. I asked him about his music guru. He said that he never learnt music theoretically and could not read and write notation and the purpose of coming to Chennai was to learn classical music. I sang the theme music of Hum Panch a couple of times, he heard and played it perfectly. We recorded that piece and used in the film. Even, when he saw me at an airport, railway station or even a restaurant, he used to prostrate before me without any inhibition. He elevated Indian Classical music to universal level," said SP Balasubramanium

"I had a very fond association with Mandolin Srinivas from early 80s. In 1993 our academy bestowed him with the Sangeeta Kala Sagara award. Usually the award is given to someone who has had years of experience or someone who is old. But because of his immense talent we honoured him with the award. Our bonding was so strong that every time he came down to Vizag he performed here. His last performance in Vizag was in 2010. I still remember the days when he came to my house along with his father and had dinner. He was no guest to Vizag, he was someone who is very close to our hearts," recollects MS Srinivas, Secretary of Visakha Music Academy.

Another Carnatic music great Nedunuri Krishnamurthy said: "He is a great master of the instrument and it's a big loss to the entire Carnatic music world. He cannot be replaced."

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