MUMBAI: Indian film industry’s sound engineer Sridhar Hariharan passed away on Sunday night (30 November).

Hariharan, who has won the National Award four times, died of a cardiac arrest. He has worked on the music score of Aamir Khan starrer Ghajini, which is slated for release later this month.

Hariharan worked is close association with music director AR Rahman.

Aamir Khan went to Chennai to pay tribute to Hariharan. Khan wrote on his blog, "Shridhar was one of the finest technicians of our industry and a dear friend. We have worked together a number of times, and very closely during Lagaan. He did the final mix of the film, which is the last and most crucial creative process in film making. A close associate of A.R., he has worked together with him on a majority of his songs and background scores. In fact he was in A.R.’s studio until 4 am yesterday morning working with A.R. and Murgadoss on our film. By around 8.30 am he had passed away in his sleep."

Some films to his credit are Roja, Gentleman, Kadhalan, Thiruda Thiruda, Bombay, Duet, Mahanadi, Rangeela, Kuruthippunnal, Muthu, Indian, Minsaara Kanavu and Iruvar. He also engineered the background music score and songs for the national award winning films Kaala Paani for music director Ilaiyaraaja and Minasaara Kanavu for Rahman.

He was awarded the National Award for Best Audiography for Mahanadi in 1994, Dil Se in 1999, Lagaan in 2001 and Kannathil Muththamittal in 2003. Having pioneered the use of Digital Sound for Indian films in the DTS format, Sridhar successfully completed six-track surround sound mixing for more than 200 films.