Ustad Sultan Khan
Encyclopedia
Ustad
Sultan Khan (1940 – 27 November 2011) was an India
n sarangi
player and singer who performed Hindustani classical music
. He was one of the members of the Indian fusion group Tabla Beat Science
, with Zakir Hussain
and Bill Laswell
. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan
, India's third highest civilian honor, in 2010.
in the princely state of Sikhar in the Indian Empire
. He learned from his father Gulab Khan.
on George Harrison
's 1974 Dark Horse World Tour.
He has won numerous musical awards including, twice, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
, also known as the President's Award, as well as the Gold Medalist Award of Maharashtra and the American Academy of Artists Award in 1998. In 1997 he was requested to perform at Prince Charles' 50th birthday celebrations.
Khan has taught music producers such as Sukshinder Shinda and Ram Gopal Varma
(who provided the music for his film, Deyyam
) to play the sarangi. Belonging to the Indore Gharana
, Khan plays the Sarangi
and sings. He has many students, but few gandhabandha disciples (notables are Anand Vyas and Ikram Khan
).
He is also the teacher of Deeyah
, a Norwegian born singer, and he performed on her debut album I Alt Slags Lys in 1992.
He contributed vocals and sarangi to Gavin Harrison
's 1998 solo album Sanity & Gravity. He sang "Albela sajan aayo re..."along with Kavita Krishnamurthy and Shankar Mahadevan
in the Hindi film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
in 1999.
Sultan Khan performed for the Tamil
film Yogi
. He played a solo sarangi for Yogis theme and also for the song "Yaarodu Yaaro" from the same album.
,Maharashtra
India after a prolonged illness.
He was undergoing dialysis
for the last four years and lost his speech in his last few days. He died on his way to the hospital. The funeral was held in his hometown of Jodhpur
, Rajasthan
on 28 November 2011.
Ustad
Ustad is an Arabized Persian word is a honorific title for a Muslim man in South Asia. The title precedes the name and is usually used for well regarded teachers and artists, most often musicians. It is applied and used via informal social agreement. It is abbreviated as ut. or ud.-References:*...
Sultan Khan (1940 – 27 November 2011) was an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n sarangi
Sarangi
The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...
player and singer who performed Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
. He was one of the members of the Indian fusion group Tabla Beat Science
Tabla Beat Science
Tabla Beat Science is a musical group founded in 1999 by Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell. Its style consists of a mixture of Hindustani music, Asian Underground, ambient music, drum and bass and electronica. Laswell met with Karsh Kale , and they later teamed up with Talvin Singh and Trilok Gurtu...
, with Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain (musician)
Zakir Hussain , , is an Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer.-Early life:Hussain was born in Mumbai, India to the legendary tabla player Alla Rakha. He attended St...
and Bill Laswell
Bill Laswell
Bill Laswell is an American bassist, producer and record label owner....
. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
, India's third highest civilian honor, in 2010.
Early life
Sultan Khan was born near JaipurJaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
in the princely state of Sikhar in the Indian Empire
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. He learned from his father Gulab Khan.
Career
Khan gave his first performance at the All-India Conference at the age of 11, and has performed on an international scale with Ravi ShankarRavi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
on George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
's 1974 Dark Horse World Tour.
He has won numerous musical awards including, twice, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
, also known as the President's Award, as well as the Gold Medalist Award of Maharashtra and the American Academy of Artists Award in 1998. In 1997 he was requested to perform at Prince Charles' 50th birthday celebrations.
Khan has taught music producers such as Sukshinder Shinda and Ram Gopal Varma
Ram Gopal Varma
Ram Gopal Varma is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer...
(who provided the music for his film, Deyyam
Deyyam
Deyyam is a 1996 Telugu horror film, written, produced and directed by Ram Gopal Varma.-Plot:The plot starts with a couple Murali and Sindhu, buying a new farm house in the suburbs of Hyderabad. Sindhu's sister Mahi always roams with her boyfriend Narsing . The problem comes when Sindhu's son...
) to play the sarangi. Belonging to the Indore Gharana
Indore Gharana
Indore gharana is one of the vocal gharanas of Indian classical music. It was founded by Ustad Amir Khan, who studied the styles of Abdul Wahid Khan, Aman Ali Khan, Rajab Ali Khan and Abdul Karim Khan and amalgamated the essence of the styles of these four maestros with his own intellectual...
, Khan plays the Sarangi
Sarangi
The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...
and sings. He has many students, but few gandhabandha disciples (notables are Anand Vyas and Ikram Khan
Ikram Khan
Ikram Khan is a famous sarangi player from Jaipur. He hails from a family of musicians belonging to the Sikar Gharana. He was initiated and groomed by his father, Ustad Nizamuddin Khan, who was also a very famous sarangi player from Jaipur...
).
He is also the teacher of Deeyah
Deeyah
Deeyah , born August 7, 1977 in Oslo, Norway, is a Norwegian singer,music producer, composer, film maker and human rights activist of Punjabi/Pashtun descent. She adopted the name Deeyah in 2002...
, a Norwegian born singer, and he performed on her debut album I Alt Slags Lys in 1992.
He contributed vocals and sarangi to Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison is a British drummer and percussionist. He is best known for playing with the British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree which he joined in 2002. As of 2008, he also plays with the band King Crimson....
's 1998 solo album Sanity & Gravity. He sang "Albela sajan aayo re..."along with Kavita Krishnamurthy and Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian music composer and singer. He is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that composes for Indian films and a playback singer.-Early life:...
in the Hindi film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
The music was composed by Ismail Darbar with lyrics by Mehboob. It received nine Filmfare Awards nominations in the music and singing categories and produced some winners as well.-Track listing:-2000 National Awards:* Best Music Direction - Ismail Darbar...
in 1999.
Sultan Khan performed for the Tamil
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:* Tamil language, one of the Dravidian languages primarily spoken in India, Tamil Eelam and Southeast Asia* Tamil script, primarily used to write the Tamil language* Tamil people -See also:...
film Yogi
Yogi (2009 film)
Yogi is a 2009 Indian Tamil action-drama film directed by Subramaniya Shiva, who earlier directed films like Thiruda Thirudi and Pori. Starring director-turned-actor Ameer Sultan, Madhumitha, Swathi, Ponvannan, lyricist Snehan, making his acting debut, and Ganja Karuppu in lead roles, the film is...
. He played a solo sarangi for Yogis theme and also for the song "Yaarodu Yaaro" from the same album.
Death
Khan died on 27 November 2011 in MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
,Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
India after a prolonged illness.
He was undergoing dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
for the last four years and lost his speech in his last few days. He died on his way to the hospital. The funeral was held in his hometown of Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
on 28 November 2011.