Tributes to the Queen of Thumri

Shobha Gurtu's husky, sensuous voice mesmerized audiences for nearly six decades.

Born in 1925, Gurtu's earliest training came from her mother, Menakabai Shirodkar, a well-known professional dancer. Later, she became a disciple of Ustad Nathan Khan and Ustad Gamman Khan.

A versatile artiste, she was renowned for her mastery over the thumri, an elaborate style of Hindustani classical music in which the emotional content, or bhava, dominates. The artiste is free to imagine and express herself while singing.

Gurtu enthralled audiences because her voice managed to harmoniously combine melody and drama.

She was honoured by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and also by the Government of India with the Padma Bhushan, besides her many awards.