Amjad Ali Khan (Indian classical musician)

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (born 9 October 1945) is an Indian classical sarod player, best known for his clear and fast ekhara taans. Khan was born into a classical musical family (the Bangash lineage of the Senia Gharana) and has performed internationally since the 1960s. He was awarded India's second highest civilian honor Padma Vibhushan in 2001, India's third highest civilian honor Padma Bhushan in 1991 and Padma Shree in 1975. In 2026, Khan won a Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for the album Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, a collaboration with the Dalai Lama and his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. Born on 9 October 1945 as Masoom Ali Khan, the youngest of seven children, to Gwalior court musician Hafiz Ali Khan and Rahat Jahan. His family is part of the Bangash (Gwalior) lineage and Khan is in the sixth generation of musicians; his family claims to have invented the sarod. His personal name was changed by a sadhu to Amjad. Khan received homeschooling and studied music under his father who belongs to Gwalior Gharana. In 1957, a cultural organization in Delhi appointed Hafiz Ali Khan as its guest and the family moved to Delhi. Hafiz Ali Khan received training from the descendants of Tansen, the magical musician who was one of the 'Nav-ratna' ( nine gems) at the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Thus, Amjad belongs to the lineage of Tansen. Friends of Hafiz Ali Khan convinced him of the importance of formal schooling for his son; as a result, Amjad was taken to meet the Principal of Modern School in New Delhi and admitted there as a day scholar. He attended Modern School from 1958 to 1963. Khan first performed in the United States in 1963 and continued into the 2000s, with his sons. He has experimented with modifications to his instrument throughout his career. Khan played with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and worked as a visiting professor at the University of New Mexico. In 2011, he performed on Carrie Newcomer's album Everything is Everywhere. In 2014, along with his two sons, Ayaan Ali Khan and Amaan Ali Khan, he performed 'Raga For Peace' in 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Khan was awarded 21st Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavna Award. Khan received Padma Shri in 1975, Padma Bhushan in 1991, and Padma Vibhushan in 2001, and was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 1989 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for 2011. He was awarded the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 2004. The U.S. state Massachusetts proclaimed 20 April as Amjad Ali Khan Day in 1984. Khan was made an honorary citizen of Houston, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee, in 1997, and of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2007. He received the Banga-Vibhushan in 2011. In the 1980s, music critic Mohan Nadkarni described Khan as a "top-notcher" in classical music and among its "celebrities." The Guardian referred to Khan as "one of the last legends of Hindustani classical music." Khan has introduced many ragas, which he does not acknowledge as "new" or his creations. These include: Raga Haripriya Kanada, created in the 1960s as a compound of Raga Charukeshi and Raga Darbari Kanada in honor of Swami Haridas. Raga Kiranranjani, created in the 1960s Raga Amiri Todi, created in 1974 as a compound of Raga Shahana Kanada and Raga Bilaskhani Todi due to Ustad Amir Khan's death. Raga Lalita Dhwani, created in 1976 Raga Shyam Shri, created in 1980 as a compound of Raga Yaman in the purvang and Raga Shree in the uttarang. Raga Saraswati Kalyan, created in 1980 Raga Priyadarshini, created in 1984 due to Indira Gandhi's assassination Raga Shivanjali, created in 1987 Raga Shantana, created in 1990 Raga Mangresh, created in 1990 after Deenanath Mangeshkar's rendition of the Marathi natya sangeet, "Prem Seva Sharan" from Sangeet Manapman. Raga Jawahar Manjari, created in 1990 after Jawaharlal Nehru. Raga Kamalshree, created in 1991 Raga Ganesh Kalyan, created in 1992 Raga Subhalakshmi, created in 1995 Raga Aahuti, created in 1996 Raga Haafiz Kauns, created in 1997 to honor Khan's father and guru, Hafiz Ali Khan. Raga Rahat Kauns, created in 1997 to honor Khan's mother, Rahat Jahan. Raga Shyama Gauri, created in 1999 Raga Saawan Malhar, created in 2008 Raga Atal Manjari, created in 2018 due to Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death. Khan's foremost disciples are his two sons, Anish Tiwari and Ayaan Ali Bangash. In the early 60s, one of Khan's first and most senior students was Gurdev Singh. Critics have praised the technical brilliance and emotional expressiveness of Khan's playing. He specializes in the ekhara taan of sarod. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (1990), a Gulzar directed Indian documentary film on Amjad Ali Khan won the Filmfare Award for Best Documentary in 1990. On 25 September 1976, Khan got married a second time. His bride was Bharatanatyam dancer Subhalakshmi Barooah, hailing from Assam in north-eastern India. They have two sons, Amaan and Ayaan, both of whom are performing artists trained in music by their father. Khan cared for his diabetic father until he died in 1972. Their family home in Gwalior was made into a musical center and they live in New Delhi. The Maestro's Musings (LP) (1986, CBS) Swar Sameer (1991, Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., T-Series) Serene Strings (1994, EMI, RPG Enterprises) North India: Instrumental Music of Medieval India (1994, Ocora) Ragas Bilaskhani Todi & Brindabani Sarang (1994, Navras Records) The Rough Guide to the Music of India and Pakistan (1996, World Music Network) (contributing artist) Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan with sons Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash (2001, Chhanda Dhara) Music from the 13th Century (2005, Navras Records) Moksha (2005, Real World Records) Confluence (2005, Navras Records) (jugalbandi with singer Girija Devi) My Inspirations (2006, Navras Records) Romancing The Rains (2007, Navras Records) Samaagam (2011, World Village) (with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra) Masterworks From The NCPA Archives (2012, Navras Records) Raga Bahar (2015, Sony music) ‘’ Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama’’ (2026, Glassnote Music, LLC) 1975: Padma Shri, Government of India 1978-9: Sahitya Kala Parishad Samman 1989: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi 1991: Padma Bhushan, Government of India 1997: Crystal Award, World Economic Forum 2001: Padma Vibhushan, Government of India 2010: Grammy_Award_for_Best_Traditional_World_Music_Album for Ancient Sounds with Rahim Alhaj 2010: Vivekananda National Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting 2010: Honorary Doctorate, Mangalayatan University 2010: Honorary Doctorate in Literature, North Bengal University 2011: Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Sangeet Natak Akademi 2011: Banga Bibhushan, Government of West Bengal 2012: Gulab Khan Award, Kingdom of Marwar Gaj Singh 2012: Honorary Doctorate in Literature, Jadavpur University 2012: Prem Nazir International Award, Dammam 2012: Lifetime Achievement Award, Delhi Government 2012: Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavna Award 2015: Alva Virasat, Alva's Educational Foundation 2015: Swati Puraskar, Kerala Government 2016: Honorary Doctorate in Literature, Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya 2017: Gold Medal, Global Music Awards 2018: Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra 2026: Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording- with the Dalai Lama Sawhney, Anubha (23 November 2003). "Amjad Ali Khan, unplugged (interview with him)". The Times of India. Times News Network. Retrieved 26 January 2018. Bhatia, Shyam (1 October 2002). "The sound of sarod music". Rediff.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018. Raman, Anuradha (23 October 2018). "I am conscious that unlike language, I cannot manipulate sound: Amjad Ali Khan". The Hindu. https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/ustad-amjad-ali-khan-reacts-to-first-grammy-win-with-sons-amaan-and-ayaan-we-are-deeply-humbled-10934107