Pandit Birju Maharaj's granddaughter opens up about Kathak maestro's sudden demise

New Delhi: India, on Monday, woke up to the grim news of Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj's death. His demise sparked tributes from around the nation.

His granddaughter Ragini Maharaj, too, paid her heartfelt condolences.

In a conversation with ANI, the young girl informed that the 83-year-old Pandit Maharaj Birju "was under treatment for the past month."

"He was under treatment for the past month. He had sudden breathlessness at around 12:15 - 12:30 am last night; we brought him to the hospital within 10 minutes, but he passed away," Ragini shared.

Remembering her grandfather, Ragini also spoke about his love for gadgets.

"He loved gadgets, always wanted to buy them at the earliest. He always said, if not a dancer, he'd have been a mechanic, his image in my mind will always be smiling," she grieved.

A descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, Pandit Birju Maharaj has also choreographed several songs in Bollywood such as 'Kaahe Chhede Mohe' (Devdas), 'Mohe Rang Do Laal' (Bajirao Mastani) and many more.

He was also honoured with Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to Indian art.