THE sitar is not a household name or a genre of music we would necessarily rush out to the shops to buy.

It is an instrument associated with his native India but Ravi Shankar, who died recently (Echo, Dec 13), was a legend in his own right – a composer and master of the sitar.

He was instrumental in combining his own sounds with some of the most popular in the world of music.

Shankar dedicated his life to the sitar and gained the attention of two superstars from a broad musical spectrum.

He collaborated with George Harrison and The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, as well as classic legendary Yehudi Menuhin, going to prove that music and diversity has no boundaries.

It’s a pity life isn’t like that all the time.

Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe.