Puri: Mortal remains of eminent Tabla maestro Pt Umesh Chandra Kar were consigned to flames at the Swargadwara here with full state honours today afternoon.
Upon the arrival of Pt Kar’s body at the Swargadwara here Puri Additional District Magistrate (Protocol) Dillip Kumar Mohapatra, Additional Superintendent of Police Mihir Prasad Panda, District Information & Public Relations Officer Santosh Kumar Sethi, District Culture Officer Hemant Behera, IIC Sea Beach police station Chinmaya Rout offered floral tributes to the departed soul.
Later lyricist Badri Mishra, singers Nimakanta Routray, Nalinikanta Nayak, Umaballav Mohapatra, Sitaballav Mohapatra, Prof Sushil Patnaik, actor Chandan Panda, and Basudev Chhatoi also offered floral tributes to Pt Kar.
Guard of honour was presented to Pt Kar on behalf of the State government. Pt Kar’s son Anish Kumar Kar lighted the funeral pyre.
Pt Kar passed away at his residence in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. He was 71.
Born on January 7, 1950, Pt Kar was a notable figure in the Hindustani classical music fraternity. He was the former Principal of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya.
Pt Kar had been conferred with many awards in his lifetime including the Sangeet Natak Academy Award and Ila Panda Sangeet Samman.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while condoling Pt Kar’s death on Thursday announced that the last rites of Pt Kar will be conducted with full State honours
