MUMBAI: Legendary Carnatic music exponent and a professor of medicine, Sripada Pinakapani passed away yesterday evening at a hospital in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh after battling illness for a long time.

Aged 100, he had been confined to the bed since 2004 due to paralysis. However, his mental faculties had been stable and he pursued music and teaching from his bed.

A medical doctor by profession, he gained excellence in Carnatic classical music. He was also honoured by the President of India with the Padma Bhushan in 1984, for his outstanding contribution to Carnatic classical music as a vocalist and an erudite scholar.

Pinakapani was also conferred with the Andhra Pradesh Sangeetha Natak Academy Award in 1966 and the Sangeetha Kalanidhi by the Madras Music Academy in 1983.

The veteran musician had a successful career performing at major festivals and concerts. His disciples included Carnatic vocalists Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana Malladi Suri Babu, Malladi brothers and more.

He also wrote several books on Carnatic classical music in both Telugu and English during his career. Some of his popular books include 'Mano Dharma Sangeetam', Mela Raga Malika', 'Sangeeta Sowrabham', 'Pallavu Gaana Sudha and 'Gaanakalasarvasvamu', which has minute details of Carnatic compositions.

He is survived by three sons and three daughters.