Biography of Bismillah khan
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Ustad Qamruddin "Bismillah" Khan, often referred to by the title Ustad, was an Indian musician credited with popularizing the shehnai, a subcontinental wind instrument of the oboe class
.Born: 21 March 1916, Dumraon
Died: 21 August 2006, Heritage Hospitals Ltd, Varanasi
Instruments: Shehnai
Awards: Bharat Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, more
Children: Soma Ghosh, Nazim Hussain, Nayyar Hussain, Zamin Hussain, more
Albums: Bharat Ratna, Shehnai Samrat, Shaadi Ki Shehnaiyan,
Ustad Bismillah Khan was undoubtedly a gem that India is proud of. This shehnai maestro of India received the Bharat Ratna in 2001. ... However, when his grandfather Rasool Baksh Khan saw him as a baby, he uttered the word 'Bismillah', and hence he came to beknown as Bismillah Khan.
Ustad Bismillah Khan was an eminent Indian musician who popularized the shehnai, a wind instrument, all over.
Birth Name: Qamaruddin Khan
Date of Birth: 21 March, 1916
Place of Birth: Dumraon, Buxar, Bihar
Father: Paigambar Baksh Khan
Bismillah Khan
Date of Birth: 21 March, 1916
Place of Birth: Dumraon, Buxar, Bihar
Birth Name: Qamaruddin Khan
Date of Death: 21 August, 2006
Place of Death: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Profession: Musician
Children: Zamin Hussain, Nazim Hussain, Nayyar Hussain, Kazim Hussain, Mehtab Hussain, Soma Ghosh (adopted daughter)
Father: Paigambar Baksh Khan
A Rare Honor
Mother: Mitthan
Awards: Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri
Without Bismillah Khan, we wouldn’t have realized the true potential of a humble wind instrument known as Shehnai. Such was his impact in popularizing Shehnai, a subcontinental instrument belonging to the oboe class. What was regarded as a mere folk instrument went on to be recognized as a classical instrument. What more, it not only attracted Asian music lovers but also made millions of Westerners recognize and appreciate the potential of Shehnai, all thanks to Bismillah Khan. He had fallen in love with his musical instrument, so much so that he would often refer to it as his wife! Well, falling in love with something is one thing, but making millions of others fall in love with it is something else. That is exactly what the legendary musician managed to accomplish during his reign as the world’s most loved Shehnai player.
Childhood & Early Life
Bismillah Khan was born as the second son to Paigambar Khan and Mitthan. He was named Qamaruddin so that his name would sound similar to the name of his elder brother, Shamsuddin. However, when his grandfather, Rasool Baksh Khan, saw him as a baby, he uttered the word "Bismillah" and hence he came to be known as Bismillah Khan. His family had a musical background and his ancestors were musicians in the court of the princely states of Bhojpur.
His father used to be a Shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon. Quite naturally, Bismillah was introduced to Shehnai at a very young age. He grew up seeing his father play the wind instrument and decided to follow in his footsteps. When he was six years old, he began his journey to Varanasi, where he was trained by his uncle, Ali Baksh 'Vilayatu'. Young Bismillah considered his uncle as his Guru and learnt the nuances of playing the instrument, until he perfected every aspect of it.
Career
Bismillah Khan began his career by playing at various stage shows. He got his first major break in 1937, when he played at a concert at All India Music Conference in Calcutta. This performance brought Shehnai into the limelight and was hugely appreciated by music lovers. He then went on to play in many countries including Afghanistan, USA, Canada, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, West Africa, Japan, Hong Kong and in various parts of Europe. During his illustrious career he played in many prominent events throughout the world. Some of the events that he played in include World Exposition in Montreal, Cannes Art Festival and Osaka Trade Fair
A Rare Honor
Bismillah Khan had the rare honor of playing his Shehnai on the eve of India's independence in the year 1947. He performed at the Red Fort in Delhi and since then, continued to play every year on the 15th of August, right after the speech by the Prime Minister of India. Bismillah’s performance was considered the main attraction of Independence Day celebrations for a very long time. His performance reached thousands of households as it was broadcast live by Doordarshan.