Sarod maestro Aashish Khan dies in US

Aashish Khan, the legendary sarod maestro, who popularised the instrument world over and collaborated with international musicians like George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Ringo Starr, has died, his family said.

The 84-year-old musician breathed his last at a hospital in Los Angeles on Thursday, surrounded by family, friends, and students, his brother Alam Khan said in an Instagram post. “My eldest brother, maestro of the Sarod and khalifa of the Maihar Gharana, Ustad Aashish Khan, has passed away,” Alam posted.

Born in 1939 in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, Khan trained under the guidance of his grandfather Ustad Allauddin Khan, the founder of the “Senia Maihar Gharana”, as well as his father Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and aunt Annapurna Devi. He played a pivotal role in bringing Indian classical music to global audiences, captivating listeners and inspiring students worldwide.

In 1989, following in the footsteps of icons like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pannalal Ghosh, he was named composer and conductor of the All India Radio’s Vadya Vrinda ensemble.

Prominent musicians in Kolkata on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over his death, describing him as one of the last great maestros of classical instrumental music.