Ustad Ustād or ostād (abbreviated as Ust., Ut. or Ud.; from Persian language, Persian ) is an honorific title used in West Asia, North Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is used in various languages such as Persian language, Persian, , Azerbai ...

Rashid Khan (born 1 July 1968) is an

Indian classical music Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...

ian in the

Hindustani music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sit ...

tradition. He belongs to the

Rampur-Sahaswan gharana Rampur-Sahaswan gharana is a gharana (musical heritage) of Hindustani classical music centred in the North-Uttar Pradesh towns of Rampur and Sahaswan. Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan (1849–1919) was the founder of this gharana. History The gharan ...

, and is the great-grandson of gharana founder Inayat Hussain Khan. He is married to Soma Khan. In a story told in several versions, Pandit

Bhimsen Joshi Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi BR (; ; 4 February 1922 – 24 January 2011), also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists from Karnataka, in the Hindustani classical tradition. He is known for the '' khaya ...

once remarked that Rashid Khan was the "assurance for the future of Indian vocal music". The SRA site gives the Bhimsen Joshi accolade as: "One of the most notable torchbearers of the Hindustani classical tradition in the twenty first century" He was awarded the

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

, as well as the

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...

in 2006. He was awarded the

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...

, India's third highest civilian award, in 2022 by the Indian Government in the field of Art.

Early life

Born in

Sahaswan Sahaswan is a city and a municipal board in Budaun district in the Indian state of western Uttar Pradesh. It is also an administrative Block, 0177 is the block code. Demographics According to 2011 Census of India the total area of the Sahaswan ...

Badayun Budaun is commonly pronounced Badayun is a city and a seat of Budaun district, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located near the Ganges river in the centre of Western Uttar Pradesh. Budaun was the capital of Delhi Sultanate for four years from 1210 C ...

, Uttar Pradesh. He received his initial training from his maternal grand-uncle, Ustad

Nissar Hussain Khan Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan (1909–1993) was an Indian classical vocalist from the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana. He was a disciple and son of Fida Hussain Khan and after a long and illustrious career was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1971. He was the co ...

(1909–1993). He is also the nephew of

Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Ghulam Mustafa Khan (3 March 1931 – 17 January 2021) was an Indian classical musician in the Hindustani classical music tradition, belonging to the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991, followed by Padma Bhushan ...

. As a child he had little interest in music. His uncle Ghulam Mustafa Khan was among the first to note his musical talents, and for some time trained him in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

. However, he received his main training from Nissar Hussain Khan, initially at his house in Badayun. A strict disciplinarian, Nissar Hussain Khan would insist on voice training (''Swar Sadhana'') from four in the morning, and make Rashid practice one note of the scale for hours on end. A whole day would be spent on practising just a single note. Although Rashid detested these lessons as a child, but the disciplined training shows in his easy mastery of

taan ''Taan'' (Hindi: , ur, ) is a technique used in the vocal performance of a raga in Hindustani classical music. It involves the improvisation of very rapid melodic passages using vowels, often the long "a" as in the word "far", and it targets a ...

and layakaari today. It was not until he was 18 that Rashid began to truly enjoy his musical training.

Career

Rashid Khan gave his first concert at age eleven, and the following year, 1978, he performed at an ITC concert in Delhi. In April 1980, when Nissar Hussain Khan moved to the

ITC Sangeet Research Academy ITC Sangeet Research Academy is a Hindustani classical music academy run by the corporate house, ITC Ltd. It is located in Kolkata, India. Noted musicians associated with the academy include Ulhas Kashalkar, Falguni Mitra, Ajoy Chakrabarty, Ust ...

(SRA),

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

, Rashid Khan also joined the academy at the age of 14. By 1994, he was acknowledged as a musician (a formal process) at the academy.

Musical style

The Rampur-Sahaswan ''gayaki'' (style of singing) is closely related to the

Gwalior gharana The Gwalior Gharana (Gwalior school of classical music) is one of the oldest Khyal Gharana in Indian classical music. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar (1542–1605). The favourite singers of t ...

, which features medium-slow tempos, a full-throated voice and intricate rhythmic play. Rashid Khan includes the slow elaboration in his

vilambit ''Vilambit'' (Hindi: ; also called ''vilambit laya'') is an introductory slow tempo, or ''laya'', between 10 and 40 beats per minute, used in the performance of a raga in Hindustani classical music. For major ragas, the vilambit portion generally ...

khayal Khyal or Khayal (ख़याल / خیال) is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from a Persian/Arabic word meaning "imagination". Khyal is associated with romantic poetry, and allows the perfor ...

s in the manner of his maternal grand-uncle and also developed exceptional expertise in the use of sargams and sargam ''taankari'' (play on the scale). He is influenced with the style of Amir Khan and

. He is also a master of the

tarana ''Tarana'' is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain words (e.g. "odani", "todani", "tadeem" and "yalali") based on Persian and Arabic phonemes are rendered at a medium (''madhya laya'') or fast (''drut laya'' ...

like his guru but sings them in his own manner, preferring the khayal style rather than the instrumental stroke-based style for which Nissar Hussain was famous. There is no imitation of instrumental tone. His renderings stand out for the emotional overtones in his melodic elaboration. He says: "The emotional content may be in the alaap, sometimes while singing the bandish, or while giving expression to the meaning of the lyrics." This brings a touch of modernity to his style, as compared to the older maestros, who tended to place greater emphasis on impressive technique and skilful execution of difficult passages. Rashid Khan has also experimented with fusing pure Hindustani music with lighter musical genres, e.g. in the

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

fusion recording ''Naina Piya Se'' (songs of

Amir Khusro Abu'l Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253–1325 AD), better known as Amīr Khusrau was an Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar who lived under the Delhi Sultanate. He is an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian s ...

), or in experimental concerts with western instrumentalist Louis Banks. He has also performed

jugalbandi A jugalbandi or jugalbandhi is a performance in Indian classical music, especially in Hindustani classical music but also in Carnatic, that features a duet of two solo musicians. The word jugalbandi means, literally, "entwined twins." The duet ca ...

s, along with sitarist

Shahid Parvez Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan (commonly known as Shahid Parvez, born 14 October 1954) is an Indian classical sitar maestro from the Imdadkhani gharana. He represents the seventh generation of the Etawah Gharana as its primary exponent. He is praise ...

and others.

Film discography

Non-film discography

* Classical Wonders of India (2015) * Krishna - Ustad Rashid Khan (2013) * Rashid Again (2013) * Baithaki Rabi - Ustad Rashid Khan (2012) * Poore Se Zara Sa Kam Hai – Mausam * Nirgun (2010) * Kabir (2009) * Shabad Kirtan Gurbani - Sawan Aaya Hey Sakhi from album (Guru Manyo Granth)(2008) * Shabad Kirtan Gurbani - Holi Kini Sant Sev from album (Guru Manyo Granth)(2008) * Hey Bhagwan - Ustad Rashid Khan * Master Pieces Ustad Rashid Khan (2006) * Yearning (2006) * Reflection (2006) * Masterworks From the NCPA Archives: Rashid Khan * The Song of Shiva * Morning Mantra (2003) * Morning Mantra (2003) * Selection - Raga - Megh and Hansadhwani (2002) * Voice of India (2002) * Yatra – A Journey of Rabindrasangeet & Hindustani Classical Bandish, with

Nachiketa Chakraborty Nachiketa Chakraborty, simply known as Nachiketa, is an Indian singer, songwriter, musician, composer and playback singer who is known for his modern Bengali lyrics. He achieved fame in the early 1990s, with the release of his debut album ''Ei Be ...

* Naina Piya Se * Live in Concert: Moreton Centre (2000) * A Maestro in the Making (2000) * The Genius of Rashid Khan (2000) * The Song of Shiva (2000) * In London (2000) * Classical Vocal: Ustad Rashid Khan (Live At Savai Gandharva Festival, Pune) (1999) * Saajan More Ghar Aao (Live) (1998) * Selection - Kaushi Kanada - Charukeshi - Barwan (1996) * Khyal (1996) * Shyam Kalyan - Ustad Rashid Khan (1996) * Rashid Khan Live In Concert (1995) * Rashid Khan - Ustad Rashid Khan (1995) * A Tribute to a Living Legend (1995) * Raga Yaman / Raga Kirwani (1994) * Rashid Khan Live In Concert (1993) * Raga Bageshri / Desh (1991)

Awards

(2006) *

Global Indian Music Academy Awards The Global Indian Music Academy Awards (also known as the GiMA Awards) are presented annually by Global Indian Music Academy to honour and recognise Music of India, Indian music. The nominees are voted by GiMA's jury, who have some of the most ...

(GIMA) (2010) * Maha Sangeet Samman Award (2012) *

Mirchi Music Awards ''Mirchi Music Awards'' are presented annually by ''Radio Mirchi'' to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film music industry of India. The awards, given in seventeen different categories, were in ...

(

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

) *

(2022)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Rashid 1966 births Living people Hindustani singers People from Budaun Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Indian classical musicians of Bengal Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts