Shubhendra Shankar (30 March 1942 – 15 September 1992[1][2]), also known asShubho Shankar, was an Indian graphic artist, musician and composer. He was the only son of musiciansAnnapurna Devi andRavi Shankar.
Shubhendra Shankar was the son of thesurbahar virtuoso and teacherAnnapurna Devi and sitar maestroRavi Shankar. Hailing from a gifted Hindustani classical music background, his grandfather was the legendary UstadAllauddin Khan, the founder of theMaihar Gharana. He was also the nephew of sarod maestroAli Akbar Khan, and the cousin of sarodistsAshish Khan, Dhyanesh Khan, Alam Khan, and Manik Khan. Through his father's side, he was the older half-brother ofNorah Jones andAnoushka Shankar.
He learned thesitar initially from his father, Ravi Shankar. His tutorship was handed over to his mother Annapurna Devi, when Ravi Shankar could not make time due to his hectic work schedule at the All India Radio and concert tours across India. While living in his father's home in Hollywood, he painted and drew, and earned a degree in fine arts from theOtis Art Institute of theParsons School of Design in Los Angeles.[2]
In 1971, within two years of his arrival in the US, Shubho Shankar performed in a concert for the first time, playing with his father at New York'sCarnegie Hall.[3] The performance was titled "Fathers and Sons" and included tabla playersAlla Rakha and his sonZakir Hussain.[4]
Shubho Shankar performed frequently on concert tours, composed music for films and recorded several albums. He performed with his father, appearing throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, including performances at theKennedy Center inWashington, D.C.[2]
After marrying, he gradually dropped out of the music scene and stopped playing the sitar for almost eight years.[3] At the age of 40, he took his father's advice to return to his music full-time.[2] He gave lessons in sitar playing, singing and flute inOrange County,San Diego and Los Angeles.
In 1989–1990, Shankar went on a concert tour of England, Europe and India.[4]On this trip, which also was to be his last visit to India, he met his mother after a gap of 20 years during which the two had no communication. He resumed learning the sitar under his mother.[3]
Shankar played together with his father at theSawai Gandharva Festival inPune in 1990, where some music critics commented that he was out of tune. Shankar was dejected, and refused to stay in India to complete his sitar education, saying it was "too late now". He returned to the US, and in his last few months cut himself off from everyone.[3]
At a concert he gave atWhittier College, Shubho met Linda, from North Carolina, soon to be his wife.[4] They had two children, son Somnath and daughter Kaveri. Gradually he lost interest in playing the sitar.[3] He worked as a clerk in a liquor store, painted pictures, and drew illustrations for telephone directories, in order to support his wife and two children.[2]
Shankar died ofpneumonia at Los Alamitos Medical Center following an illness of several months at his home inGarden Grove. He was cremated and his remains dispersed in the ocean offMarina del Rey.[2]
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