Sarod maker Hemen Sen dies

KOLKATA - Famed sarod and sitar maker Hemen Sen died after a massive cardiac arrest at his south Kolkata residence Saturday morning, his family said. He was 87.

Sen received the Hafiz Ali Khan Award from then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Legendary sarod players like Amjad Ali Khan and Ali Akbar Khan and world renowned sitarist Ravi Shankar were among those who preferred playing instruments made by Sen.

Expressing his condolences over Sen’s death, Amjad Ali Khan described him as the “greatest sarod maker”.

“Hemen and Co.’s musical instruments were a favourite among musicians in various countries including the US, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Egypt,” Sen’s daughter Rina Banerjee told IANS.

Sen, who learnt to play the sitar and the sarod from a teacher in Bangladesh, received the blessings of Ustad Alauddin Khan at a young age.