The maestro who patented the santoor instrument was born on 13 January 1938 in the Benaras Gharana. He was trained under his father, Pandit Umadutt Sharma, an exponent of the Benaras Gharana and the raj pandit at the court of Maharaja Pratap Singh.

In his early years, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma learnt both the tabla and the santoor. In addition he was also a vocalist. But it was after 1955 that he decided to reflect his true personality through an instrument that is meant to be played percussively – the santoor.

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma has been honoured by the Sahitya Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Shree. He has the honorary citizenship of the city of Baltimore, has received the Indian Classical music’s first platinum disc for The Call of the Valley and has given special performances before the House of Lords in Britain and in front of the Queen of Holland.