OBITUARY// Popularly known as Mandolin Shrinivas, Uppalapu Shrinivas died on September 19, at a young age of 45. Indian mandolin maestro and music composer, Shrinivas had undergone a liver transplant the same month but his condition deteriorated and doctors could not revive him. Known as one of the greats in the musical world, Shrinivas started playing the mandolin when he was just nine years old. The maestro played across the world with the likes of John McLaughlin, Michael Nyman and Michael Brook.

Shrinivas was also awarded the Padma Shri in 1988 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2009. George Harrison is reported to have said, “Eddie Van Halen, eat your heart out,” after listening to one of his albums. He is also the first musician to have used an electric mandolin in Carnatic music. Unfortunately, he also attracted headlines for his personal life, since his bitter divorce battle with his wife caught media attention; Shrinivas had allegedly cited mental cruelty as grounds for divorce, which eventually came through in 2012.