Rais Khan
British India | |
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Died | 6 May 2017 Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan | (aged 77)
Genres | Hindustani classical music |
Occupation(s) | Instrumentalist |
Instrument(s) | Sitar |
Years active | 1948 – 2017 |
Pride of Performance Recipient by the President of Pakistan in 2005 Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award by the Government of Pakistan in 2017 | |
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Date | 2005 |
Country | Pakistan |
Presented by | Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan |
In 2017, Khan was awarded Pakistan's third highest civilian honour, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award by the Government of Pakistan.[4]
Personal life
Rais Khan was born on 25 November 1939 in
Career
Rais Khan belonged to the
"The famous Indian sitar player Ustad Vilayat Khan is his maternal uncle who came to live with them when Vilayat's father died. Rais Khan denies there is any friction between them, contrary to the rumours that exist even today. He praises Ravi Shankar, said to be a rival too, as a brilliant musician who has introduced the sitar to the world."[5]
Despite his extensive
As Rais Khan's mother was a singer and his father was a beenkar (veena player), a unique combination of khyal (the most popular classical vocal style), dhrupad (the older and more orthodox classical form) and thumri (lyrical semi-classical form) – 'angs' (approaches) developed in his playing.[12][5]
He gave his first public concert at Sunderbai Hall in the presence of the then
He was also a vocalist and was the first sitar player to record the super-hit song "Ghungroo Toot Gaye" for BBC London in 1978 as an instrumental song with the sitar.[5] This song was originally written by Qateel Shifai, music by Nisar Bazmi for a Pakistani film Naz (1969).[14] Like his uncle Vilayat Khan, whose music had exercised considerable influence on him, he often sang and demonstrated compositions on the sitar. Rais and Bismillah Khan (shehnai player) used to collaborate and perform together in live concerts as a duo,[8] like the one at India Gate in New Delhi on 23 November 2001.[15]
For sometime, Rais Khan stopped performing, but returned in the 1980s and was invited by Ali Akbar Khan to perform in California.
Rais Khan sometimes performed with his son Farhan,
Death and legacy
After a prolonged illness, Rais Khan died on 6 May 2017 in Karachi at the age of 77.[18][17] In 2012, one major Pakistani English-language newspaper commented about his declining health, "He proudly says that his decades old habit of smoking 115 cigarettes a day, which is the reason for his declining health, came to an abrupt end four years ago when the doctor ordered him to stop."[5]
Shortly after his death in 2017, National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) held a musical night in tribute to Rais Khan.[4]
On his death, Urdu writer Anwar Maqsood remarked that “God had given him a rare gift. His fingers had that rare touch.”[8] In a tweet, Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar called Khan “sitar ke jaadugar” (lit. magician of sitar).[4]
His son Farhan Khan is also a sitarist.[5][6][4]
Awards
- Pride of Performance by the President of Pakistan in 2005.[9][17][6]
- Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) by the Government of Pakistan in 2017.[4]
References
- ^ Adnan, Ally (2 May 2014). "Indus Raag". The Friday Times newspaper. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
One of the greatest sitar players of all times, Rais Khan is hands-down the most melodic sitar player in the world today.
- ^ Kumar, Kuldeep (13 January 2012). "A tale of two recitals". The Hindu newspaper. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
Rais Khan who in his heyday was considered among the most skilful sitar players in the country.
- Pakistani citizenship.
- ^ a b c d e A tuneful tribute to Ustad Rais Khan The Express Tribune newspaper, Published 23 May 2017, Retrieved 1 February 2023
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Profile: The string maestro". Dawn newspaper. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d Zahra Chughtai (March 2016). "Interview: Ustad Rais Khan". Newsline magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "'Today, music is about cloning' (interview with Rais Khan)". The Hindu newspaper. 29 October 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Salman, Peerzada (7 May 2017). "OBITUARY: The sitar has fallen silent". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d Lodhi, Adnan (7 May 2017). "Renowned sitarist Ustad Raees Khan passes away". The Express Tribune newspaper. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ISBN 9788120812109. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ Amit Adiecha – "History of Sitar," and the CD "Melodious Sitar of Rais Khan" – Chhanda Dhara 1993
- ISBN 9788120806733. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
- ^ Rais Khan profile Retrieved 31 December 2018
- ^ "Pakistani film database 1969". Cineplot.com website. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ "A superb recital by sitar maestro". The News International newspaper. 30 March 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ Surekha, S (20 January 2012). "Strike a chord with 'chocolate' Ustad". Mid-Day. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ a b c "Sitar maestro Ustad Raees Khan passes away". Geo TV News website. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Pakistani sitar maestro Ustad Raees Khan dead at 77". Firstpost (India). Indo-Asian News Service. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2018.