Bengaluru: Noted Padma Shri Kadri Gopalnath, one of the pioneers of Carnatic music on the saxophone passed away at a private hospital in Mangaluru early on October 11. He was 69 and was ailing for some time.
Gopalnath introduced saxophone to Carnatic music. He received several awards including Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award and Karnataka Kalasri among others. In 2004, he received Padma Shri from then-President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He pioneered the use of Saxophone instrument in main stream movies and one of his famous movie “Duet” with music director A R Rahman is still fresh in the minds of people. His music has the power to change any depressed mind into absolute joy.
Gopalnath also played with jazz musician John Handy, and they performed together in music festivals held in Prague, Berlin, France and many other countries.
He is survived by his wife and two sons of which Manikanth Kadri is a noted music director. The family is waiting for his other son who is in Kuwait to arrive here for completing the last rites at his home in Padavinangady.
