Nagpur: The city lost one of its most enduring cultural figures on Monday morning with the passing of Damodar “Damu” More, the legendary sound system expert who shaped Nagpur’s audio landscape for more than six decades. He was 92.
Founder of the iconic More Sound Services, Damu More was much more than a technician, he was the man who ensured that history’s most important voices reached the people, crisp and clear. From Mahatma Gandhi’s rallies before independence to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political addresses, his sound systems formed the invisible backbone of countless landmark events.
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It was on October 14, 1956, during the epoch-making Dhammachakra Pravartan at Deekshabhoomi, that a young More, assisting his uncle, managed the sound arrangements for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s historic address. Over the years, his mastery was sought for the Poddareshwar Temple Ramnavami procession, Dhammachakra Pravartan Day programmes, and mega rallies at Kasturchand Park.
But his reach extended far beyond politics. He amplified the music of legends, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Jagjit and Chitra Singh, Pankaj Udhas, Anup Jalota, Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Dr Vasantrao Deshpande, Bismillah Khan, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Pt Shivkumar Sharma, among many others. Cities across Central India, Indore, Bhopal, Raipur, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Pune, and Mumbai, resonated with his work.
Such was his reputation that when Lata Mangeshkar agreed to return to Nagpur for a felicitation programme after years of reluctance, she is remembered to have said, “Achha, Damu is there, then there’s no problem.”
Old-timers recall how, 75 years ago, More Sound Services was the biggest name in Nagpur. The company handled the sound for rallies of Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, as well as concerts of Ghulam Ali and Jagjit Singh. More’s closeness with Kishore Kumar was legendary, the singer once rode pillion on his scooter, exploring Nagpur’s streets together.
In keeping with his wishes, his body was donated to the Government Medical College, Nagpur. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and extended family.
For Nagpur, Damodar More’s passing is more than the loss of a sound engineer. It is the fading of a voice that carried the city through decades of music, politics, and history, a voice that may now fall silent, but whose echo will remain unforgettable.
