Music community mourns the loss of Sur Mandal founder Mohan Hemmadi

Hemmadi reportedly passed away at 2.30 am, peacefully in his sleep at his daughter's residence in the city. His family in a post on social media said, “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Shri. Mohan Hemmadiji at 2:30 am on the 19th of October, while he was at rest in his sleep.”

Hyderabad: Mohan Gopal Hemmadi, a veteran organizer and founder of Sur Mandal, passed away at the age of 86 on Thursday in Hyderabad. Hemmadi is renowned for his contributions towards Indian Classical music and popularizing of Hindustani music in Hyderabad.

Born in Dharwad, Karnataka, Hemmadi was raised in Mumbai. He relocated to Hyderabad in 1959 and has lived here ever since. Having founded Sur Mandal in 1970, Hemmadi was behind organising several musical concerts and festivals here. He rubbed shoulders with some of the greatest legends of Indian classical music including Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and many others.

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Hemmadi reportedly passed away at 2.30 am, peacefully in his sleep at his daughter’s residence in the city. His family in a post on social media said, “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Shri. Mohan Hemmadiji at 2:30 am on the 19th of October, while he was at rest in his sleep.”

Nagesh Kapilavai, Secratry, Sur Mandal, said, “It’s an inevitable loss to the music community in Hyderabad. Hemmadi devoted his lifetime to the recital of Indian classical music in the city thereby changing the cultural and musical landscape here.” Hemmadi’s unwavering efforts to bring legends to the city gave the audiences an opportunity to witness some of the world’s finest Hindustani music performances, he added.

Sur Mandal has successfully arranged over 600 musical concerts in Hyderabad, dedicated to promoting classical music.