Maestro who gave vocal music a new dimension

Pandit Jasraj, who passed away at age 90 after suffering a cardiac arrest in New Jersey on Monday, will be a singer best remembered for braiding lyrical and devotional elements into classical Indian music. One of the most beloved of Hindustani vocalists, his over seven-decade-long career put him in a league of stalwart artistes such as Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Kishori Amonkar.
Jasraj belonged to the Mewati gharana, which drew not from any family lineage, but from both Hindu kirtankar and Islamic sufi traditions. He lived in Mumbai but spent large parts of the year teaching all over the globe, especially the US and Canada.
News of his passing drew condolences from music lovers across the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and composer AR Rahman among others. Amjad Ali Khan recalled “so many festivals” that he had attended with ‘Jasraj bhai’ right from the Sixties. “He gave a different dimension to vocal music. His musical approach and genius endeared him to the planet. His legacy lives on timelessly,” he wrote.
Jasraj is survived by wife Madhura, daughter of film legend V Shantaram, daughter Durga and son Sharang Dev.