The oldest living performer of Hindustani Classical Music, 105 years old Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan to perform at IIM Calcutta on June 12
IIM Calcutta campus, Kolkata, June 7, 2013: After successfully hosting the first ever SPIC MACAY International Convention at IIM Calcutta last month, SPIC MACAY would present another solo Hindustani classical music evening on June 12 at IIM Calcutta campus during 6 to 7:30 PM. Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan would perform Hindustani Classical Vocal who will be accompanied by Bilal Khan on Tabla, Sarwar Hussain on Sarangi and Jyoti Goho on Harmonium.
Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan is perhaps, the oldest living performer of Hindustani Classical Music. At the age of 105, Hindustani vocalist Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan was chosen for this year's Padma Shri award, achieving the distinction of being the oldest person to get a Padma award. His ability to strike the pure and perfect note in the autumn of his life is nothing short of astonishing. Born into a family of great musicians who could be traced back to Ustad Behram Khan, he was initially trained by his uncle, Ustad Bade Yusuf Khan. Further training followed from his elders who had imbibed the Gwalior gayakee. By dint of sheer merit and extraordinary skill, Khan sahab further developed this gayakee according to his own artistic sensitivities within the Gwalior framework. Apart from khayal, Abdul Rashid Khan sings dhrupad, dhamar and thumri with equal ease and verve. The extensive use of breath control and the Gwalior patterns of layakari are still his sustaining and unparalleled qualities.
During the last several decades, Khan sahab has been a regular performer on All India Radio and Doordarshan in Lucknow. He has also participated in innumerable music conferences in different parts of the country. He has received many awards and felicitations from recognised institutions, including the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Banaras Hindu University. He received the ITC Award in 1994, the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2009 and was the recipient of the prestigious 35th All India Bhuwalka Award of 2010 for his rich and valued contribution in the field of Indian Classical Vocal Music. He has also been a member of the Audition Committee of All India Radio, New Delhi.
Abdul Rashid Khan is also a prolific writer and an inspired poet, having composed more than two thousand compositions under the pseudonym ‘Rasan Piya’. Many of the 'bandishes' that he sings are his own compositions. A guru with ITC SRA since 1994, he has trained a large number of students.[/b]