Mobarak Hossain Khan (27 February 1938 – 24 November 2019) was a Bangladeshi musicologist, musician, and writer. He played the

surbahar ''Surbahar'' (; ) sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower pitch. Depending on the instrument's size, it ...

, a bass version of the

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in ...

Background

Khan was born on 27 February 1938. He came from a musical background. His relatives include Ustad Dr.

Alauddin Khan Allauddin Khan, also known as Baba Allauddin Khan ( – 6 September 1972) was an Indian sarod player and multi-instrumentalist, composer and one of the most notable music teachers of the 20th century in Indian classical music. For a generation ...

(his uncle), Ustad Ayet Ali Khan (his father), Ustad Dr.

Ali Akbar Khan Ali Akbar Khan (14 April 192218 June 2009) was a Indian Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod. Trained as a classical musician and instrumentalist by his father, Allauddin Khan, he ...

(his cousin), Srimati

Annapurna Devi (1927 – 13 October 2018) was an Indian surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani classical music. She was given the name 'Annapurna' by former Maharaja Brijnath Singh of the former Maihar Estate (M.P.), and it was by this name that she was p ...

(his cousin), Pandit

Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North Ind ...

(Annapurna's husband of first marriage), Ustad Abed Hossain Khan (his eldest brother), Ustad

Bahadur Khan Ustad Bahadur Khan (born Bahadur Hossain Khan; 19 January 1931 – 3 October 1989) was an Indian sarod player and film score composer. Early life and family Ustad Bahadur Khan, a Bengali, was born on 19 January 1931 in Shibpur, Brahmanbaria, B ...

(his elder brother), Sheikh Sadi Khan (his younger brother), his other cousins Ustad Khadem Hossain Khan, Ustad Mir Kashem Khan, his nephews Ustad Phuljhuri Khan, Ustad Khurshid Khan, Ustad Shahadat Hossain Khan, Ustad Bidyut Khan, Ustad

Kirit Khan Kirit Khan (29 October 1955 – 2006 ) was a Bengali-Indian sitar player. Early life Khan was born in Brahmanbaria in erstwhile East Bengal and later settled in Kolkata, India. He is the second son of Ustad Bahadur Khan, a Sarod artiste. Musi ...

, Reenat Fauzia (his daughter), and many others. He was the third son of Ustad Ayet Ali Khan. His grandfather was Sabdar Hossain Khan (Sadu Khan), and other uncles include Samiruddin Khan, Fakir (Saint) Aftabuddin Khan, Ustad Nayeb Ali Khan.

Career and awards

Khan was the Director General of National Academy of Fine and Performing Arts (

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy ( bn, শিল্পকলা একাডেমি; National Academy of Fine and Performing Arts) is the principal state-sponsored national cultural center of Bangladesh. History It is the national academy of f ...

) and former Chairman of

Nazrul Institute The Nazrul Institute is Bangladesh's national institute, established in February 1985. Its headquarters are located in Kabi Bhaban in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It fulfills a number of roles; promoting the literary work of the poet Kazi Nazr ...

named after the Poet-Laureate of Bangladesh

Kazi Nazrul Islam Kazi Nazrul Islam ( bn, কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম, ; 24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengali poet, Bengali literature, writer, Bangladeshi music, musician, and is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul is regarded as one ...

. He was also the President of the Bangladesh Chapter of

International Council for Traditional Music The International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) is a scholarly non-governmental organization which focuses on the study, practice, documentation, preservation, and dissemination of traditional music and dance of all countries. Founded in Lo ...

(ICTM), the headquarters being in the US and the President of Ustad Ayet Ali Khan Academy of Music. He also served Radio Bangladesh and former Radio Pakistan for a long stint of 30 years. He was also the secretary general of the

International PEN PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association has autonomous Internationa ...

Bangladesh Chapter, headquarters being in London, UK He visited many countries including USA, U. K., China, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Japan, North Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain, Kuwait, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Australia as a leader of cultural delegation, and also as an expert on radio, Saarc,

Unesco The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

, as well as on classical music. Mobarak Hossain Khan and his wife Fauzia Khan were involved in planning, research and hosting a popular TV musical program on

NTV NTV may refer to: Television * NTV (Bangladesh), a Bengali-language satellite television channel in Bangladesh * NTV (India), Telugu regional channel * NTV (Kenya) * NTV (Mongolia), a television channel based in Mongolia * NTV (Newport Television) ...

, named ''Bajo ebong Bajao'', which features

Nazrul Sangeet Nazrul Sangeet ( bn, নজরুল সঙ্গীত), also Nazrul Geeti ( bn, নজরুল গীতি; ), refers to the songs written and composed by Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul Geeti incorporate revolut ...

with the sangat (co-performance) of

sarod The sarod is a stringed instrument, used in Hindustani music on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the sitar, it is among the most popular and prominent instruments. It is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet ...

, and other classical instruments.

Academics

Khan was a visiting lecturer of College of Music, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and associated with the Department of Drama and Music of

Dhaka University The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

and Rajshahi University. He earned his M. A. in History from

Books

Mobarak Hossain Khan wrote a total of 137 books, 3 of them are in English. He also contributed to the '

Banglapedia ''Banglapedia:'' ''the'' ''National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh'' is the first Bangladeshi encyclopedia. It is available in print, CD-ROM format and online, in both Bengali and English. The print version comprises fourteen 500-page volumes. The f ...

' (the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh) published by the

Asiatic Society of Bangladesh The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh is a non political and non profit research organisation registered under both Society Act of 1864 and NGO Bureau, Government of Bangladesh. The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh was established as the Asiatic Society ...

. His three books on Music in English are: * * * Among his 137 books, 30 are original research books on Music in Bangla, and the 3 mentioned above are his original research books on Music in English. Besides, he has published 19 more books on Music for juveniles. He started with translations, and he had published 20 of them, and later he had translated 23 more books for Juveniles. There were 34 more books on Juvenile stories. He had published 2 novels and 2 autobiographical books. Another notable contribution is his 4 books on Bangladesh Liberation War.

Personal life

Khan was married to Fauzia Yasmin. They had one daughter, Reenat Fauzia, and two sons, Dr. Tareef Hayat Khan, and Tanim Hayat Khan.

Honors and awards

Ekushey Padak Ekushey Padak ( bn, একুশে পদক; lit. "Twentyfirst Award") is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contribut ...

(1986) *

Independence Day Award The Independence Day Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Independence Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by t ...

(1994) *

Bangla Academy Literary Award The Bangla Academy Literary Award ( bn, বাংলা একাডেমি সাহিত্য পুরস্কার; ''Bangla Academy Shahitya Puroshkar''), is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius i ...

(2002) * Nazrul Gold Medal * Moulana Akram Khan Gold Medal * Atish Dipankar Gold Medal

Death

Khan died on 24 November 2019 at the age of 81.

References

Notes

External links

Mobarak Hossain Khan: Official Home page
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Mobarak Hossain 1938 births 2019 deaths 20th-century Bangladeshi male singers 20th-century Bangladeshi singers Surbahar players Musicologists Recipients of the Ekushey Padak Recipients of the Independence Day Award Recipients of Bangla Academy Award