A public memorial service was held this morning in Encinitas for Ravi Shankar, the Indian sitar virtuoso who died in San Diego last week at the age of 92.
The service at the Self-Realization Fellowship included tributes and prayers for family and invited friends, said Stuart Wolferman, who served as a family spokesman following Shankar's death. Members of the public were welcome, he said.
The 20-year Encinitas resident, whose collaboration with George Harrison led the late Beatle to play the sitar in a couple of songs by the "Fab Four,'' died Dec. 11 following surgery at Scripps Mercy Hospital to replace a heart valve.
He had suffered from heart and upper respiratory problems for about a year, according to his publicist.
Shankar is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sukanya; two daughters, Anoushka Shankar, a sitar musician who was recently nominated for a Grammy Award, and five-time Grammy winner Norah Jones; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Ravi Shankar Foundation at JustGive.org.
