Bismillah Khan

Bismillah Khan

• Bismillah Khan, the Shehnai maestro of India was born on March 21, 1916 at Dumraon, Bihar. 
• His ancestors were court musicians in the princely state of Dumraon in Bihar. Ustad Bismillah Khan was trained under his uncle, the late Ali Baksh 'Vilayatu', a shehnai player attached to Varanasi's Vishwanath Temple.
• He believed in Hindu-Muslim unity and spread the message of brotherhood through his music. He always announced that music has no caste.
• He 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 that year he has always played on 15th August right after the Prime Minister gave his speech.
• Ustad Bismillah Khan was the recipient of Padma Shri (1961), Padma Bhushan (1968), Padma Vibhushan (1980).
• He became the third classical musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. 
• He died on August 21, 2006.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, instituted the 'Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar' in 2007, in his honour. It is given to young artists in the field of music, theatre and dance.