Bangalore, Sep 17 (IANS): Puttaraj Gavai, a doyen of Hindustani music and exponent of the Gwalior Gharana, died Friday after a brief illness. He was 96.

He passed away at his ashram in Gadag in north Karnataka, about 480 km from here, the ashram authorities announced.

Winner of the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, Gavai had been visually impaired since birth. That did not deter him from mastering Hindustani music as well as writing plays, poems and books on music.

Gavai had also mastered the Carnatic style of music.

He was running an ashram providing education to over 1,000 children, many of whom are visually impaired, from poor families.

Hundreds of his admirers and devotees had been camping in Gadag for about a week praying and performing various kinds of rituals for his recovery.

Gavai, born in March 1914, was admitted to a hospital in nearby Belgaum with multiple health problems about a week ago.

Though critical, he was taken back to his ashram as he wanted to be there when the end came.