Abdul Rashid Khan

Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan (born November 1908) is a vocalist of Hindustani music genre. His sings in the tradition of Mian Tansen. Apart from khayal, he sings dhrupad, dhamar and thumri with equal versatility.

Early life

Khan was born in a family of musicians tracing back to Behram Khan, who was a singer of traditional Gwalior gharana gayaki. His father's elder brother Bade Yusuf Khan and his father initially trained him. This was followed with extensive taleem from his family elders, like Chand Khan, Barkhudar Khan, Mahtab Khan who had imbibed the Gwalior Gayaki. He further developed this style suiting his own artistic sensitivity.

Career

Khan's traditional compositions have been recorded by the BBC and Iraq Radio. Organizations like Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academi, Lucknow and ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata have recorded and preserved more than 1500 compositions. During the past several decades, he has been a regular performer on Akashvani and Doordarshan Lucknow. Khan has participated in many national and regional conferences like Sadarang Conference, Godrej Conference, Lucknow Mahotsav, Dover Lance Conference, ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Prayag Sangeet Samiti Sangeet Sammelan all over India and has been felicited by Critics, fellow artists and many reputed recognized institutions like Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy, (1981), Banaras Hindu University (1993), Eastern Zone cultural center and Press club Kolkata.
Khan has composed more than two thousand compositions and is also a prolific writer and poet under the pseudonym "Rasan Piya". Many compositions (bandish) that he sings are his own creations. He has trained numerous students in his lifetime. He is now a "guru" at ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata.

Awards

ITC award (1994)
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2009)
Kashi Swar Ganga Award (2003)
Ras Sagar (titlle) Award 2004

He has been a member of the All India Radio Audition Committee, New Delhi and has been awarded with many titles by the different reputed organizations like 'Sangeet Maharishi', 'Sangeet Sartaz', 'Rassagar', 'Bandish Samarat'.


Ustaad Abdul Rashid Khan: Performing at the age of 102 years-Part 1