Ustad Sultan Khan: 1940-2011

Sarangi master and vocalist Ustad Sultan Khan died Sunday 27 November 2011 in a hospital in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, after succumbing to kidney failure.

Born in 1940, Khan began his musical career under the tutelage of his father Ustad Gulab Khan, giving his first public performance at the All-India Conference at the age of 11. He continued to become a highly influential figure in the Hindustani classical music scene, performing alongside Pandit Ravi Shankar and George Harrison. He also played on the soundtracks of films such as 'Gandhi' and 'In Custody', performed at Prince Charles' fiftieth birthday celebration in 1997, and was a member of Indian fusion group Tabla Beat Science with fellow musicians Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell. 

Khan's honors include India’s civilian honor the Padma Bhushan, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Gold Medalist Award of Maharashtra and the American Academy of Artists Award.

He is survived by his wife, daughters Reshma and Sehra and son Sabir Khan, another well known sarangi player who was studying under his father's tutelage.