Goodbye Shyam, pioneer of pop rock in Bengaluru

Shyam Sunder 

D Shyam Sunder, one of the key members of Bengaluru's old-time music band 'West Wind', passed away at 75 recently. Shyam, a singer and keyboard player, left behind his wife Hema and daughter Chandini.

'West Wind' moved to Bengaluru from Kochi in 1982. It began its journey at the East-West Hotel before having a long stint at Hotel Ashok.

Gilroy D'Cunha, a veteran member of the band, calls Shyam a unique singer. "Nobody can match his voice. We got to play high-profile gigs at big venues and met big names such as Bill Clinton," he says. Gilroy's twin brother Cosmas echoes his thoughts. "There was no singer like him," he says.

Trevor Claremonte, the band's lead guitarist, says, "Performing alongside Shyam was one of the best years." Patrick Simmons, the drummer of 'West Wind', calls Shyam a humble musician. "He loved singing different genres. He wanted to get us all back for one last performance but it didn't happen," he says. Drummer Adrian Carr, who performed with Shyam in Delhi, saw him as a father figure.

Though he was employed at the Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT), Shyam was always closely associated with his first love: music. After performing in Delhi, he was instrumental in forming the band 'Whirlwind' in 2003-04.

He was known to spend long hours at practice sessions. Shyam is an inspiration to many budding singers, says musician Dominic D Cruz. "I looked up to him when I became a music enthusiast and it was great to perform with him. Live music and dance were the highlights in hotels at that time," he says. Shyam's talent shone through with other bands such as 'Windmill' and 'Pink Champagne'.