Indian musician
Musical artist
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (born 9 October 1945) is anIndian classical sarod taans . Khan was born into a classical musical family (theBangash lineage of theSenia Gharana ) and has performed internationally since the 1960s. He was awarded India's second highest civilian honorPadma Vibhushan in 2001, India's third highest civilian honorPadma Bhushan in 1991 andPadma Shree in 1975.[ 3]
Early life and education [ edit ] Born on 9 October 1945 as Masoom Ali Khan, the youngest of seven children, to Gwalior court musicianHafiz Ali Khan and Rahat Jahan.[ 1] [ 2] Bangash (Gwalior ) lineage and Khan is in the sixth generation of musicians; his family claims to have invented thesarod [ 2] [ 4] [ 5] sadhu to Amjad.[ 1] homeschooling and studied music under his father who belongs toGwalior Gharana .[ 1] [ 1] Tansen , the magical musician who was one of the 'Nav-ratna' ( nine gems) at the court of the Mughal EmperorAkbar . Thus, Amjad belongs to the lineage of Tansen.[ 6] Modern School in New Delhi and admitted there as a day scholar. He attended Modern School from 1958 to 1963.[ 7]
Career and recognition [ edit ] Amjad Ali Khan Khan first performed in theUnited States in 1963 and continued into the 2000s, with his sons.[ 1] [ 8] [ 4] Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and worked as a visiting professor at theUniversity of New Mexico .[ 2] Carrie Newcomer 's albumEverything is Everywhere . In 2014, along with his two sons, Ayaan Ali Khan and Amaan Ali Khan, he performed[ 9] Nobel Peace Prize Concert .
Khan was awarded 21st Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavna Award. Khan receivedPadma Shri in 1975,Padma Bhushan in 1991, andPadma Vibhushan in 2001, and was awarded theSangeet Natak Akademi Award for 1989 and theSangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for 2011.[ 10] [ 11] Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 2004.[ 12] Massachusetts proclaimed 20 April as Amjad Ali Khan Day in 1984.[ 13] Houston ,Texas , andNashville ,Tennessee , in 1997, and ofTulsa ,Oklahoma , in 2007.[ 13] Banga-Vibhushan in 2011.[ 14]
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performing at the IGNCA, Delhi. In the 1980s, music criticMohan Nadkarni described Khan as a "top-notcher" in classical music and among its "celebrities."[ 15] [ 16] The Guardian
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 ofRaga Charukeshi andRaga Darbari Kanada in honor ofSwami Haridas .Raga Kiranranjani , created in the 1960sRaga Amiri Todi , created in 1974 as a compound ofRaga Shahana Kanada andRaga Bilaskhani Todi due toUstad Amir Khan's death.Raga Lalita Dhwani , created in 1976Raga Shyam Shri , created in 1980 as a compound ofRaga Yaman in thepurvang andRaga Shree in theuttarang .Raga Saraswati Kalyan , created in 1980Raga Priyadarshini , created in 1984 due toIndira Gandhi's assassination Raga Shivanjali , created in 1987Raga Shantana , created in 1990Raga Mangresh , created in 1990 afterDeenanath Mangeshkar's rendition of theMarathi natya sangeet ,"Prem Seva Sharan" fromSangeet Manapman Raga Jawahar Manjari , created in 1990 afterJawaharlal Nehru .Raga Kamalshree , created in 1991Raga Ganesh Kalyan , created in 1992Raga Subhalakshmi , created in 1995Raga Aahuti , created in 1996Raga 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 1999Raga Saawan Malhar , created in 2008Raga Atal Manjari , created in 2018 due toAtal Bihari Vajpayee's death.Khan's foremost disciples are his two sons,Amaan Ali Bangash andAyaan Ali Bangash . In the early 60s, one of Khan's first and most senior students wasGurdev Singh .[ 17] [ 18]
Amjad Ali Khan withOdisha CMNaveen Pattnaik Critics have praised the technical brilliance and emotional expressiveness of Khan's playing.[ 19] [ 20] ekhara taan ofsarod .[ 21]
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (1990), aGulzar directed Indian documentary film on Amjad Ali Khan won theFilmfare Award for Best Documentary in 1990.[ 22]
On 25 September 1976, Khan got married a second time. His bride wasBharatanatyam dancer Subhalakshmi Barooah, hailing fromAssam in north-eastern India.[ 2] [ 1] [ 23] Amaan andAyaan , both of whom are performing artists trained in music by their father.[ 1] [ 24]
Khan cared for hisdiabetic father until he died in 1972.[ 1] New Delhi .[ 25]
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 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 Real World Records )Confluence Girija Devi )My Inspirations (2006, Navras Records)Romancing The Rains (2007, Navras Records)Samaagam (2011,World Village ) (with theScottish Chamber Orchestra )Masterworks From The NCPA Archives (2012, Navras Records)Raga Bahar (2015, Sony music)Awards and recognition [ edit ] 1975:Padma Shri ,Government of India 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 forAncient Sounds withRahim Alhaj 2010:Vivekananda National Award for Lifetime Achievement from theIndian 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 [ 26] 2017: Gold Medal,Global Music Awards 2018: Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement,Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra ^a b c d e f g h i Sawhney, Anubha (23 November 2003)."Amjad Ali Khan, unplugged (interview with him)" .The Times of India Times News Network . Retrieved26 January 2018 . ^a b c d e Bhatia, Shyam (1 October 2002)."The sound of sarod music" .Rediff.com . Retrieved26 January 2018 . ^ Raman, Anuradha (23 October 2018)."I am conscious that unlike language, I cannot manipulate sound: Amjad Ali Khan" .The Hindu . ^a b Weisman, Steven R. (7 June 1988)."Traditionalist Reshapes India's Ancient Sarod" .The New York Times . Retrieved26 January 2018 . ^ Rockwell, John (24 February 1991)."Review/Music; Another Indian Master, This Time of the Sarod" .The New York Times . Retrieved26 January 2018 . ^ "Ustad Amjad Ali Khan" . 20 April 2017.^ Singh, Khushwant ;Hameed, Syeda Saiyidain (1995).A Dream Turns Seventy Five: The Modern School, 1920-1995 ISBN 978-81-7023-499-9 ^ Ratliff, Ben (30 October 2006)."From India, a Sarod Dynasty Represented by Father and Sons" .The New York Times . Retrieved26 January 2018 . ^ "Amjad Ali Khan, sons perform 'Raga For Peace' at Nobel concert" .The Indian Express . 10 December 2014. Retrieved1 March 2020 .^ "SNA: List of Akademi Awardees – Instrumental – Sarod" .Sangeet Natak Akademi . Archived fromthe original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved26 January 2018 .^ "Padma Awards" .Ministry of Communications and Information Technology . Archived fromthe original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved26 January 2018 .^ "Amjad Ali Khan – The 15th Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes 2004" . Asian Month. 2009. Archived fromthe original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved21 November 2009 .^a b "Amjad Ali Khan honoured in the US" .The Times of India Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved26 January 2018 .^ "State honours nine with Banga-Vibhushan" .The Times of India Times News Network . 26 July 2012.Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved26 January 2018 .^ Nadkarni, Mohan (6 December 1987)."CBS enters classical arena" . The Economic Times. ^ Nadkarni, Mohan (28 June 1981). "Namdhari touch to classical music". The Illustrated Weekly of India. ^ "Gurdev Singh (musician) - Wikipedia" . Archived fromthe original on 28 June 2025. Retrieved22 November 2025 .^ "Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash on Ustad Amjad Ali Khan: 'Abba Saheb's teaching and philosophy are beyond music' | Art-and-culture News - The Indian Express" . Archived fromthe original on 30 July 2024. Retrieved22 November 2025 .^ Ratliff, Ben (30 October 2006)."From India, a Sarod Dynasty Represented by Father and Sons" .The New York Times . ^ "Amjad Ali Khan review — ecstatic playing in an east-meets-west celebration" . 10 January 2023.^ Lewis, John (2 May 2019)."Amjad Ali Khan review – intensity and brilliance by an Indian classical legend" .The Guardian . ^ "Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (1990) - a documentary film by Gulzar" . IMDb website. Retrieved26 January 2018 .^ "Zakir Hussain and Bangash brothers' ode to heritage" .The Tribune the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved26 January 2018 .^ Narayanan, Lavanya (27 February 2020)."Ustad Amjad Ali khan on his memories of Rukmini Devi" .The Hindu .ISSN 0971-751X . Retrieved1 March 2020 . ^ Ramnarayan, Gowri (8 January 2006)."Commitment to tradition" .The Hindu the original on 10 January 2006. Retrieved26 January 2018 . ^ "Raipur: D Lit conferred on sarod virtuoso Ustad Amjad Ali Khan" .The Times of India . 26 December 2016.
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