The maestro had been ailing for a while and had been bedridden for over six months, his family confirmed.
In what is being seen as the annus horribilis by the fraternity, the music world lost another of its brightest stars, sarangi maestro and vocalist Ustad Sultan Khan, on Sunday afternoon while he was being rushed to a hospital from his Malad residence.
The maestro had been ailing for a while and had been bedridden for over six months, his family confirmed. His nephew, Imran Khan, who was with him in his final moments, told DNA, “He was diabetic and suffered from kidney complications necessitating regular dialysis. Of late, he’d get melancholic and often spoke fondly of his early memories of Jodhpur.”
And it is as if he knew that the end was near. Khan reportedly instructed his son, Sabir, and Imran Khan just five days ago that he should be buried near his parents in Jodhpur. The family will be off with the legend’s mortal remains to the desert town on Monday.
In an irony of sorts, this disciple of late legend Ustad Amir Khan Saheb, whose prowess with both the bow and his voice have few parallels, got mass recognition only after the release of his album Piya basanti with singer Chitra. In fact, his is one of the most sampled voices in Asian underground scene across the globe.
When DNA broke the news to Talvin Singh, a producer, composer and tabla player known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music, drum and bass, he expressed shock and disbelief. “I still had so much jamming to do with him,” he said, remembering fondly his collaboration with the maestro on the Buddha bar series. “Despite his sheer expanse of knowledge and his seniority, he was humility personified in his interaction with even the junior-most person around.”
Singer Shubha Mudgal called Khan’s death a personal loss since she is a family friend.
Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar expressed her grief. “During the recording of the album Mirza Ghalib, he not only played the taans on the sarangi but often dazzled us by singing them too.”
Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain lamented, “His talent as a musician made him beyond compare.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}