Rashid Khan (musician)

Rashid Khan was born in Sahaswan, Badayun, Uttar Pradesh on 1 July 1968. He received his initial training from his maternal grand-uncle, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan (1909–1993). He was also the nephew of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan.

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. 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 practise one note of the scale for hours on end.

{{cite news

| title = An offering to the Almighty

| author = G. Jayakumar

| url = http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/09/22/stories/2006092200610200.htm

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071001063348/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/09/22/stories/2006092200610200.htm

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 1 October 2007

| date = 22 September 2006

| work = The Hindu newspaper

| access-date = 9 September 2024

}} A whole day would be spent on practising just a single note. Although Rashid detested these lessons as a child, the disciplined training showed in his easy mastery of taan and layakaari later. It was not until he was 18 that Rashid began to truly enjoy his musical training.

Rashid Khan gave his first concert at age eleven, and the following year, in 1978, he performed at an ITC concert in Delhi. In April 1980, when Nissar Hussain Khan moved to the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA), Calcutta, 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. He later became one of the 'scholar musicians' there and was called a guru and a part of the teaching faculty at the Academy from 1994 to 1998.

The Rampur-Sahaswan gayaki (style of singing) is closely related to the Gwalior gharana, which features medium-slow tempos, a full-throated voice and intricate rhythmic play. Rashid Khan included the slow elaboration in his vilambit khayals 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 was influenced by the style of Amir Khan and Bhimsen Joshi but chose not to imitate them and created his own unique style of singing.

He was also a master of the tarana like his guru but sang them in his own manner, preferring the khayal style rather than the instrumental stroke-based style for which Nissar Hussain was famous. There was no imitation of instrumental tone.

His renderings stood out for the emotional overtones in his melodic elaboration. He said: "The emotional content may be in the alaap, sometimes while singing the bandish, or while giving expression to the meaning of the lyrics." This brought 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 also experimented with fusing pure Hindustani music with lighter musical genres, e.g. in the Sufi fusion recording Naina Piya Se (songs of Amir Khusro), or in experimental concerts with western instrumentalist Louis Banks. He also performed jugalbandis, along with sitarist Shahid Parvez and others.{{Cite news |last=Nadadhur |first=Srivathsan |date=2016-11-26 |title=Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Ustad Rashid Khan: A 25-year togetherness |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/A-25-year-togetherness/article16706424.ece |access-date=2022-10-30 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=30 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030194641/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/A-25-year-togetherness/article16706424.ece |url-status=dead}}

Rashid Khan died on 9 January 2024, at a private hospital in Kolkata. He had been battling cancer for a long time.{{cite web |last1=Khan |first1=Abubakr |title=Ustad Rashid Khan-Maestro of Melody, Passes Away After Battle with Prostate Cancer |url=https://www.brutimes.com/news/budaun/ustad-rashid-khan-passes-away-at-the-age-of-55 |website=Bru Times News |language=en |access-date=9 January 2024 |archive-date=9 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109135951/https://www.brutimes.com/news/budaun/ustad-rashid-khan-passes-away-at-the-age-of-55 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Kolkata: 'Aaoge Jab Tum' singer Ustad Rashid Khan dies of cancer at 55 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/news/kolkata-classical-singer-rashid-khan-dies-of-cancer-at-55-2024-01-09-911017 |website=Indiatvnews.com website|language=en |date=9 January 2024 |access-date=9 January 2024 |archive-date=9 January 2024 |author=Sakshi Verma|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109140528/https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/news/kolkata-classical-singer-rashid-khan-dies-of-cancer-at-55-2024-01-09-911017 |url-status=dead}} After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Khan sought medical attention at the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. He later chose to pursue exclusive treatment in Kolkata. Khan initially showed positive responses to the treatment.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-09 |title=Music maestro Rashid Khan passes away after prolonged battle with cancer |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/music-maestro-rashid-khan-very-critical-101704797238586.html |access-date=2024-09-09 |newspaper=Hindustan Times newspaper |language=en |archive-date=9 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109131311/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/music-maestro-rashid-khan-very-critical-101704797238586.html |url-status=dead}}

But his condition got worse on 23 December 2023, and he was admitted to the hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator for oxygen support and died at the age of 55.{{cite news|title=Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan passes away at 55 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/music-maestro-ustad-rashid-khan-dies-at-55/article67723105.ece |newspaper=The Hindu newspaper|language=en-IN |date=9 January 2024 |access-date=8 September 2024|author=Shiv Sahay Singh |archive-date=9 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109164332/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/music-maestro-ustad-rashid-khan-dies-at-55/article67723105.ece|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67942757|title=Rashid Khan: The maestro who took classical music to India's masses (obituary)|author=Nikhil Inamdar and Zoya Mateen|work=BBC News website|archive-date=13 January 2024|url-status=dead|access-date=9 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113133726/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67942757}}

His obituary on BBC News website says: "But he was, undisputedly, the defining artist of his generation, someone who enjoyed a kind of commercial success and public adulation that was rare for a classical singer of his era. He commanded the biggest fee among his contemporaries and performed in packed auditoriums in his busiest years, he was doing 20 concerts a month. His untimely death has robbed India of one of its finest and most popular vocalists".

• 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
• 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)

• Padma Shri (2006){{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015 | archive-date=19 October 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019215108/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | url-status=dead}}
• Banga Bhushan in 2012
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006)
• Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GIMA) (2010)
• Maha Sangeet Samman Award (2012)
• Mirchi Music Awards (2013){{Cite news|url=http://www.india.com/showbiz/mirchi-music-awards-2014-winners-shahrukh-khan-farhan-akhtar-honoured-aashiqui-2-wins-7-trophies-17842/|title=Mirchi Music Awards 2014 winners: Shahrukh Khan, Farhan Akhtar honoured; Aashiqui 2 wins 7 trophies|last=Parande|first=Shweta|date=2014-02-28|work=India.com|access-date=2018-04-24|language=en|archive-date=25 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125193540/http://www.india.com/showbiz/mirchi-music-awards-2014-winners-shahrukh-khan-farhan-akhtar-honoured-aashiqui-2-wins-7-trophies-17842/|url-status=dead}}
• Padma Bhushan (2022){{Cite web|date=2022-01-26|title=Padma Awards 2022: Complete list of recipients|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/padma-awards-2022-complete-list-of-recepient-11643162439142.html|access-date=2022-01-26|website=mint|language=en|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126094504/https://www.livemint.com/news/padma-awards-2022-complete-list-of-recepient-11643162439142.html|url-status=dead}}
• Lokmat Sur Jyotsna National Music legends Award.{{Cite web |last=author/lokmat-news-network |date=2024-03-13 |title='सूर ज्योत्स्ना राष्ट्रीय संगीत पुरस्कार' जाहीर |url=https://www.lokmat.com/nagpur/sur-jyotsna-national-music-award-2024-announced-a-a719/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Lokmat |language=mr}}

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{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}

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Category:1968 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:Hindustani singers

Category:People from Budaun

Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts

Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award

Category:Indian classical musicians of Bengal

Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts

Category:Deaths from prostate cancer in India