Veteran singer Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan passes away

Veteran singer Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal following old-age related ailments. He was 107.
He was a highly acclaimed Hindustani classical singer of Gwalior Gharana who had created around 2,000 compositions and was also a prolific writer and poet under the pseudonym Rasan Piya.

About Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan

• Born in Uttar Pradesh in 1908 in a family of musicians. He was a descendant (16th generation) of Tansen, a classical music composer in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
• He had received his initial training from his father Chhote Yusuf Khan and uncle Bade Yusuf Khan and also from other elders of their family.
• His traditional compositions have been recorded by reputed broadcasters and institutes like Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi, BBC and Iraq Radio etc.
• Till his death, he was oldest performing musician of India. He was a resident Guru at ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata.
• Awards and Honours: He was the oldest recipient of Padma Bhushan, conferred in 2013.
• He was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Kashi Swar Ganga Award. In 2013, Government of NCT of Delhi has felicitated him with life time achievement award.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2016