'Everything about Mandolin Srinivas was premature'

‘When name and fame come, people do change, but U Srinivas was one person who never changed. He was a personification of humility and moved with all fellow musicians and everyone in society with respect.’

The news of the untimely death of 'Mandolin' U Srinivas on Friday morning, has stunned the entire music world.

Known as a child prodigy, Srinivas picked up his father's mandolin at a tender age of six. On seeing his interest in the instrument, his father started teaching him, and at the age of 9 he had his first public performance at the Thiagaraja Aradhana where he stunned all the well known musicians with his mastery over the instrument.

Dancer Dr Padma Subramaniam knew Mandolin Srinivas from when he was a 10-year-old. “What a loss! If I close my eyes, I still see him as a young child playing mandolin in front of Kanchi Maha Swami (Swami Chandrasekharendra Saraswati). That was the first time I met Srinivas. He was just a child in half pants then.  What attracted me was his child like face and innocence, and it never changed.

“He was such a sweet child that he was respectful to everybody whether they were young or old, or famous or not famous. I have not seen a more humble boy. I would say, humility, thy name is Srinivas.

“I am not able to digest the fact that he is no more as I knew him for many, many years. If I were to describe him, I would say everything about him was premature. He became a musical genius much ahead of his age. He became globally popular much ahead of his age. And he died much ahead of his age. The music world has lost a gem and a genius.”

Kannan Balakrishnan, renowned veena player and nephew of dancer Dr Padma Subramaniam, recalls that Srinivas was like his younger brother. “I am deeply shocked and truly shattered to hear this sad news. He was one of the greatest of young stars in the entire music field and the first one to put mandolin in the Carnatic music field and popularise it throughout the world. As a person, he was humility personified. He moved with everyone with reverence, regards and affection.

“He was five or six years younger to me and I know him from when he was a 10-year-old. I can say he didn't change a bit even after he became world famous. Our entire family had been attending all his concerts from then on. He used to very frequently go to the Kanchi mutt and play there for the Maha Swami and we also used to be there every time he performed.

“Myself and Srinivas became friends from those early days. In fact, we toured together to Russia for the Festival of India in 1987. When name and fame come, people do change, but Srinivas was one person who never changed. He was a personification of humility and moved with all fellow musicians and everyone in society with respect. 

“The last time we met was on April 12 when composer Yanni came to India. I had a 15-minute Veena recital at a private get-together for Yanni and after my performance Srinivas came and hugged me. I never imagined that that was going to be our last meeting.”