Rashid Khan (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ustad
Rashid Khan
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Khan performing at Bharat Bhavan in 2015
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| Born | 1 July 1968 Sahaswan, Uttar Pradesh, India
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| Died | 9 January 2024 (aged 55) Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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| Occupation | Classical vocalist |
| Years active | 1977–2024 |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (2022) Padma Shri (2006) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Hindustani classical music |
Ustad Rashid Khan (born July 1, 1968 – died January 9, 2024) was a famous Indian classical singer. He was known for his beautiful voice in the Hindustani style. This is a traditional form of music from Northern India.
Rashid Khan was part of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, which is a special family tradition of music. His great-grandfather, Inayat Hussain Khan, started this gharana. Many people, including the famous Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, believed Rashid Khan was the future of Indian singing. He received important awards like the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2022. These are high honors from the Indian Government for his contributions to art.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Rashid Khan was born in a place called Sahaswan in Uttar Pradesh, India. This was on July 1, 1968. He started learning music from his maternal grand-uncle, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan. His uncle, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, also helped him early on.
When he was a child, Rashid Khan was not very interested in music. His grand-uncle, Nissar Hussain Khan, was a very strict teacher. He made Rashid practice voice exercises, called Swar Sadhana, very early in the morning. Sometimes, Rashid would spend a whole day practicing just one musical note.
Even though he found these lessons tough, this strict training helped him become a master. He learned to control his voice and rhythm perfectly. It wasn't until he was 18 years old that Rashid truly began to love his musical training.
Musical Journey and Career
Rashid Khan gave his first public concert when he was just eleven years old. The next year, in 1978, he performed at a big concert in Delhi. This was a great start to his career.
In 1980, when he was 14, he joined the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA) in Calcutta. This academy is a famous place for learning music. By 1994, he was officially recognized as a talented musician there.
Understanding Rashid Khan's Music Style
The Rampur-Sahaswan gayaki (singing style) is similar to the Gwalior gharana. This style often uses medium-slow speeds and a strong, full voice. It also includes complex rhythmic patterns.
Rashid Khan was known for his slow and detailed singing in his vilambit khayals. He also became very skilled at using sargams (singing notes by their names) and sargam taankari (playing with these notes). He was inspired by other great singers like Amir Khan and Bhimsen Joshi.
He was also a master of the tarana, a fast-paced form of singing. He sang them in his own unique way, focusing on the vocal style rather than sounding like an instrument. His performances were special because they had a lot of emotion. He believed that feelings could be shown in the slow parts, in the main song, or by expressing the meaning of the words. This made his style modern and relatable.
Rashid Khan also liked to try new things with music. He mixed traditional Hindustani music with other styles. For example, he worked on a Sufi fusion album called Naina Piya Se. He also performed with Western musicians. He even sang jugalbandi (duets) with other artists, like the sitar player Shahid Parvez.
Later Life and Passing
Rashid Khan faced health challenges for some time. He passed away on January 9, 2024, in a hospital in Kolkata. He was 55 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Rashid Khan received many important awards for his contributions to music:
- Padma Shri (2006)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006)
- Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GIMA) (2010)
- Banga Bhushan (2012)
- Maha Sangeet Samman Award (2012)
- Mirchi Music Awards (2013)
- Padma Bhushan (2022)
