Chongtham Vikram Singh grew up in a family steeped in music. His mother Chongtham Kamala, now 85, is one of the defining voices of Manipuri music and cinema. She sang in Matamgi Manipur (1972) — the first Manipuri feature film in which her melodious voice earned her the moniker ‘Lata Mangeshkar of Manipur’.

But Singh set out to build a musical identity of his own and chose the electric guitar to find himself. He went on to become a pioneering guitarist of Manipur’s early rock scene.

Beaten to death in Delhi’s Kilokari village after objecting to a group making noise outside his residence on Monday, the 54-year-old leaves behind a significant musical career that ranged from Manipur’s early Western music scene to years spent teaching and mentoring young musicians in the Capital.

Those who have worked with him – from guitarist Sachidananda Angom to folk musician Mame Khan of Coke Studio India fame – remember him as someone who was “always kind, helpful” and who “never had arguments with anyone.”

Singh is survived by his wife, Joshna, 54, and their son Yaiphaba. The 20-year-old is a law student.

On Tuesday, fellow musicians, family members and well-wishers held a candlelight vigil at the historic Kangla fort in Imphal, demanding justice.

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, in a letter to his Delhi counterpart Rekha Gupta, requested that a fair probe be conducted under the direct supervision of senior police leadership. The Manipur CM also asked for reinforced security measures across Delhi localities with significant populations of students and working professionals from Manipur and other northeastern states.

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Originally from Lourung Purel Leikai in Imphal West district, Singh was the eldest son of Kamla and Chongtham Birendra, a medical doctor. A calm Kamla, sitting quietly at the family home, told , “Vikram (Singh) and his brother Vivek always loved to perform as kids. They always participated in school entertainment events.”

Even as he forged a separate path for himself, Singh, for years, accompanied his mother to the radio station – she had gained immense popularity as a broadcast singer at All India Radio (AIR), Imphal – regularly for recordings. The experience left a lasting impression on him. Singh auditioned, too, and was also approved as a child artist at AIR. He would play the accordion then.

“Since his mother was associated with AIR Imphal, he got to meet some of the most significant artistes in Manipur and learned under the tutelage of renowned names,” says Angom, former lead guitarist of well-known band Imphal Talkies and The Howlers.

Singh began as the lead guitarist of famous Manipur band Ultra Vires formed in the late ’80s. He had just finished his class X then. This was a time when rock music was at its peak in the state and Singh immersed himself in the sound. To hone his skills further, he later enrolled at Trinity School of Music in Kolkata, where he studied classical guitar.

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He then went on to play with Phoenix (later Phynyx) and then Eastern Dark, remembered for its socially conscious themes. Singh is remembered by his friends and colleagues for his fine, highly skilled guitar playing. Almost two decades ago, Singh moved to Delhi and began giving lessons in electric guitar. This is when Angom became his student.

‘He could really light up a room’

“He would also come down to the studio for the recording of various Imphal Talkies albums. We would often do these informal jam sessions. He was a really good guitarist and, as a person, one of the nicest guys you would ever meet. He was always kind, helpful and could really light up a room. It (his death) is a terrible loss,” said Angom.

When Singh came to Delhi, he began by teaching at Arttree Academy of Music & Performing Arts in Kamla Nagar. Classical guitar instructor Tej Gurung, who teaches at Delhi School of Music, met Singh at Arttree, where the two became colleagues and friends. “He taught electric guitar; I taught classical guitar. He was a wonderful person, the sweetest guy and also a brilliant guitar player. He’s got to be super famous in Manipur because he was very good,” says Gurung.

After a while, Gurung introduced him to Hitesh Madaan, the guitarist for Euphoria — the popular folk rock band formed by Palash Sen in 1988. Soon, Singh began teaching at Madan’s ARIA music school in Rajouri Garden. What was unique about Singh was that teaching, like it is for many musicians, was not a part-time job for him; he really enjoyed helping younger musicians find their own way around the guitar. He also mentored students at home.

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Alongside his teaching career, Singh continued playing with various musicians, including Delhi-based classic rock and jazz band Fubar Ghetto. For about three years, he worked as a lead guitarist for Khan, who sang in Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance (2009) and does regular international tours.

“It was very heartbreaking to hear about the passing of Vikram – a really kind and lovely person. Playback singer Chinmayi (Sripada) recommended him to me and he played with me until 2016. I also featured him in two of my videos. We did numerous shows together. A hugely talented person and the favourite artiste of my band, he never had arguments with anyone and was always good to others, besides being a musically brilliant artiste. I don’t understand how some people could behave this way with him. It is just really sad,” Khan told .