Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
Adieu to the true Indian rock star Sonam Sherpa
The untimely demise of the founding member of Indian rock band Parikrama, Sonam Sherpa, was mourned by the music community. “He was more than just a band member to me. He was my best friend. He was the first one to be there when my daughter was born,” Subir Malik, one of the members of the band said.
Actor Saif Ali Khan, who performed with the band in 2008, told us, “Very sad to hear this news. Shocking. He was very young and a talented guitar player... really nice and cool, soft spoken gentleman.”
Amit Kilam, one of the members of Indian Ocean, shared, “Sonam was not just a contemporary; we were friends since college. He used to make fun of my long nose and say, ‘give me a bit of it and we’ll all be fine’.” Known to the outside world for his grinding guitar solos, Sherpa’s peers remember him as a fun-loving person, who embodied the spirit of a true rock star.
Composer-guitar player Ehsaan Noorani confesses that he was envious of Sherpa’s skills, especially “the grinding tone and guitar licks”. He said, “His stage presence was incredible. He had this aura and you’d get lost when he was playing,” recalls Noorani.
With a career spanning 30 years, Sherpa has influenced many musicians including Vishal Dadlani. “A lot of people claim to act as guides to the newcomers. Sonam genuinely was, and Parikrama has always been. When (my band) Pentagram was new, these guys were stars on the scene, and had big hearts. Every time we hung out, we’d laugh and have ridiculous stories to tell the next day,” Dadlani adds, “The loss is far greater than any other loss. I’ve lost a friend, and an icon, as has every late ’90s rock and roll lover. A legend, Sonam will never be forgotten. I wish I had spent more time with him.”
Our family used to hold a licence for hunting, and at that time, Dudhwa, unfortunately, used to be the designated hunting ground. I remember accompanying my father on hunting trips in the 1950s a couple of times. I was then 7 year old
KAUSHALENDRA SINGH WILDLIFE ENTHUSIAST