Veteran Marathi music composer Khale dead

Thane (Maharashtra), Sep 2 Well known Marathi music composer and director Shrinivas Khale passed away at his residence here early Friday due to old age-related ailments, a family source said. He was 85.

Fondly known as Khale Kaka, he breathed his last at his residence in Thane's Vasant Vihar area.

Khale is survived by his wife Surekha and three daughters - Shama, Sanjivani and Sonali.

Conferred the Padma Bhushan last year, Khale has been a name to be respected for the last six decades. Apart from Marathi, his compositions include songs in Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati and Sanskrit.

Khale has worked with Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Vasantrao Deshpande, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Dr M. Balamurli Krishna, Talat Mehmood, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Manna Dey and Bhupender Singh, among others.

He recorded 141 'Bhavgeets' and composed music for six Marathi films. He has also composed music for the plays 'Paanigrahan' and 'Vidushak'.

He brought together the two Bharat Ratna recipients - Lata Mangeshkar and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi - for the Hindi bhajan album 'Ram Shyam Gungaan'.