Renowned Odissi music guru Pandit Kashinath Pujapanda died in Puri on Saturday following a cardiac arrest, family sources said.He was 88 and was survived by wife, three sons and two daughters.
The eminent guru was maintaining sound health till the end and he passed away shortly after having tea in the morning at his house in Mati Mandal locality.Recipient of many prestigious awards, Pandit Pujapanda had been conferred with the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Adiguru Pankaj Charan Das Samman.
After learning Odissi music from Guru Shyam Sunder Singhari and Guru Harihar Rajguru, he had worked as an artiste for All India Radio and Doordarshan and also held several posts including principal of Utkal Sangeet Samaj, Cuttack, Lalit Kalapitha, Bhubaneswar and Ragan, Bhubaneswar.
The last rites were performed at swarga dwar here in the presence of a host of distinguished persons and admirers of the late guru.