Thread by @veejaysai

Remembering Carnatic Vidwan, Padma Shri and @sangeetnatak awardee the iconic Mandolin U Shrinivas on his 50th birthday today!

SO many fond memoires of great music and good friendship! Sharing a few images in this thread. 🙏 😊

Posing at age 5! About to create history! 😎

At age 8, he was already performing everywhere with accompanying artistes five times his age!

He was not just a child prodigy but a superstar at that, all through his life!

Check this classic! 'Entha Muddo Entha Sogasu' in Ragam Bindumalini at the Tyagaraja Aradhana. He wasn't even 10 by then!

That innocence and devotion on his face and the virtuosity in his music! Still gives me goosebumps!

Countless concerts and cassettes even as a teenager! 🙏

The countless awards that came his way...only for his music!

The then CM MGR gifting him a statue of Lord Nataraja.

Not just that! MGR also announced him as an Asthana Vidwan of the state of Tamil Nadu! Probably the youngest to receive this honour! Check this video of MGR's fondness for him. His political successor Jayalalithaa continued that bond years later!

The biggest of Carnatic stalwarts put their personal differences aside and were united in being his fans and friends! 🙏

Seen here with Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, Semmangudi Srinivas Iyer and Maharajapuram Santhanam.

And Hindustani classical maestros who loved him!

Seen here with the one and only Kishori tai and Ustad @AAKSarod.

Who doesn't remember these wonderful concerts with @ZakirHtabla! 😊

When the iconic band 'Shakti' was re-organized, it was only Shrinivas who could take on from where L Shankar had left. Vikku ji's son Selva took his place. 'Remember Shakti' tours had packed halls across!

Another concert poster from Japan from the 'Remember Shakti' series. 🙏

One cannot possibly imagine the music he would have made if he lived on. But the gods up there were impatient and summoned him sooner! Our collective loss! And an irreplaceable one at that! His undying faith and unwavering devotion to his spiritual Gurus is awe inspiring!🙏

Will end this thread with an old image fished out from my comp. Almost 15 yrs ago in his home! (or i don't even remember when!).

Thank you Shrini for the divine music, for your wonderful friendship and for everything about you!

Happy birthday once again! 😊🙏

What heartache!

Sigh!

Today at the Music Academy, so much crowd for his birthday celebrations! A large group of his friends have gathered to celebrate his music.

Feels like it was HIS concert!

Eminent musicians like Hariharan, Louis Banks and Vasu were honoured with thr Mandolin Shrinivas Awards. Each award carrying a purse of One Lakh rupees.

There to pay their musical respects were the legendary Vikku ji, Aruna Sairam, Unnikrishnan, Faizal Qureshi, @stringstruck

A video with birthday wishes from musicians across India was shown.

@niladri_kumar, Selva Ganesh, @AAKSarod, Sivamani, John Maclaughlin and many more!