Ali Akbar Khan

Ali Akbar Khan was born on April 14, 1922, in Shibpur (today in Bangladesh), into a family deeply rooted in the Maihar gharana of Hindustani classical music. His father, the legendary Allauddin Khan, was a towering figure in Indian music and trained him rigorously from childhood. By the age of 13, Ali Akbar was already performing publicly and went on to serve as court musician to the Maharaja of Jodhpur, earning the title “Ustad” (master musician). A consummate sarod player, Khan developed a mesmerizing and emotive style that captivated listeners. He was among the first to record extended ragas on LPs, helping audiences abroad appreciate the depth of Hindustani classical music. His compositions for films—including Satyajit Ray’s “Devi” (1960) and Merchant–Ivory’s “The Householder” (1963)—and his creation of new ragas underscored his creative range. A true ambassador of Indian music, Khan was invited by Yehudi Menuhin to perform in the West in 1955, becoming the first Indian musician to record an LP in the United States and appear on American television. He founded the Ali Akbar College of Music in Calcutta in 1956, and another in California in 1967, spreading the Maihar gharana tradition through teaching thousands of students globally. His honors included India’s Padma Bhushan (1967) and Padma Vibhushan (1989), the U.S. MacArthur “genius” Fellowship (1991), and the National Heritage Fellowship (1997). Throughout his life, Khan remained dedicated to the purity of his musical tradition. He performed at landmark events such as the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 and collaborated with the likes of Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee, and Western musicians, bringing the sarod to new audiences. His recordings—like “The Forty‑Minute Raga” and “Journey”—are treasured for their immersive artistry. Ali Akbar Khan passed away on June 18, 2009, in San Anselmo, California, leaving a rich legacy as a performer, composer, and teacher. His life’s work shaped the course of Indian classical music in the West and inspired generations of musicians worldwide.