Neil Nongkynrih was a famous pianist and founder of the Shillong Chamber Choir. He died on Wednesday in Mumbai at the age of 51.

Also Read Shillong Chamber Choir founder Neil Nongkynrih dead

Shillong Chamber had said a statement that “It is with deep unhappiness that we the members and management of the Shillong Chamber Choir declared the death of our adored founder and music director Mr Neil Nongkynrih.”

According to the reports, Nongkynrih was unwell for a while before he died. He was there in Mumbai along with the Choir for several months and recorded an album.

After his death, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma tweeted, “I am sorrowful beyond words by the unexpected death of the Padma Shri Neil Nongkynrih, the landlord of the very famous Shillong Chamber Choir. He was an adviser to the country’s finest choir that surrounded crowds where they used to performed. We have lost a glory today.”

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Neil Nongkynrih was born in 1970. Despite never getting any formal training at a young age, Nongkynrih had offered the works of Mozart and Beethoven by his grand-aunt.

According to the report, he got his initial sessions from his sister Pauline Warjri, a jazz musician. In 1988, Nongkynrih went to study music at the Trinity College and Guildhall School of Music in London. He worked in UK for many years and did concerts and taught music before finally returning to India in 2001.

He founded the Shillong Chamber Choir as a multi-genre choir in the same year. The choir in 2010 bagged first place in the reality show India’s Got Talent. In 2010 their Choir got awarded three gold awards at the 6th World Choir Games for the Musica Sacra, Gospel, and Popular Music. In 2015, Nongkynrih was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to promoting the music, art, and culture of the country.