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Bismillah Khan passes away

      Varanasi: 'Shehnai' maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan passed away in the wee hours of Monday here following a cardiac arrest. He was 91. The government has declared a one-day national mourning. Khan was later given a state funeral. The Bharat Ratna awardee is survived by his five sons and three daughters. Bismillah Khan, who was admitted to Heritage Hospital here on August 17 with age-related problems, suffered a cardiac arrest around 1.45 a.m. Though he was put on life support system, doctors could not revive him and at 2.20 a.m. he was declared dead.

     Dr PSR Aiyer, the superintendent of the hospital said: "His condition suddenly deteriorated and he suffered a cardiac arrest at 1.45 am. Although Khan was put on the life support system, doctors could not revive him. He was declared dead at 2.20 am today." On Sunday, hospital sources said that his condition was recovering and his vital parameters were functioning normally. He too ate solid food as he expressed his desire to eat home-cooked halwa. Earlier, he was on a liquid diet and was not eating solid food. He was put on intravenous drip by his personal physician Nadeem Jaffri two days back at his residence in Harha Sarai locality here. Physicians have been attending him for the last few years. The legendary Khan was born on March 21, 1916. He is the third classical musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001.

     He is perhaps single-handedly responsible for making the 'Shehnai' a famous classical instrument. Khan, who started his music career in 1930, earned recognition nationally as well as internationally purely on the strength of his talent. He has played Shehnai in all the five continents and has won international acclaim for his performances. His ancestors were court musicians in the princely state of Dumraon in Bihar and he trained under his uncle, the late Ali Bux `Vilayatu', a shehnai player attached to Benares's Vishwanath Temple. He brought the shehnai to the center stage of Indian music with his concert in the Calcutta All India Music Conference in 1937. Khan has honorary doctorates from the Banaras Hindu University and Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan. Khan has been conferred with innumerable awards, including top civilian awards by the Government of India, which include Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri and has the distinction of performing from the rampart of Delhi's Red Fort on August 15, 1947, when India regained independence. Khan had also performed in the Parliament in 2003. He has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Academi Award, the Tansen Award of the Madhya Pradesh government. Khan's lifestyle retained its old world Benares charm. His chief mode of transport was the cycle rickshaw. He was a pious Shia Muslim and also a devotee of Mother Saraswati. Ustad Khan will remain one of the finest musicians in post- independent Indian Classical music and one of the best examples of hindu-muslim unity in India. President A P J Abdul Kalam has condoled the death of Ustad Bismillah Khan.

Lok Sabha pays tributes to Bismillah

     New Delhi: Parliament was adjourned for a day on Monday after law-makers paid tribute to Shenai maestro Bismillah Khan who passed away in a hospital in Varanasi as also to its sitting member K P Naidu, who passed away on August 19 after a prolonged illness. As soon as the House assembled, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee informed the House of the death of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member Naidu. He was re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 from Bobbili Parliamentary constituency in Andhra Pradesh. Naidu was first elected to 11th Lok Sabha in 1996. He was again re-elected to 12th and 14th Lok Sabha in 1998 and 2004 respectively. He was also a member of Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution. The House also paid tribute to Bismillah Khan. Khan has been conferred with innumerable awards, including top civilian awards, Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri and has the distinction of performing from the rampart of Delhi's Red Fort on August 15, 1947, when India regained independence. The House observed silence for two minutes to pay tribute to departed personalities.

Highlights of Bismillah's life

      Varanasi: Bismillah Khan born on 21 March 1916 His name also bears a unique story behind it: On his birth, his grandfather thanking God, uttered "Bismillah" and the name Bismillah stuck! His ancestors were court musicians in the princely state of Dumraon in Bihar. His grandfather Rasool Bux Khan was the shehnai-nawaz of the Bhojpur King's court. His father, Paigambar Bux, and other paternal ancestors were also great shehnai players. At the age of three when his mother took him to his maternal uncle's house in Banaras, Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncle practice the shehnai. The little child's reaction astonished his uncle who predicted that the boy would one day become a great player of the instrument. Bismillah Khan was trained by his uncle, the late Ali Bux `Vilayatu', a shehnai player attached to Varanasi's Vishwanath Temple.

    At an early age, he familiarized himself with various forms of the music of UP, such as Thumri, Chaiti, Kajri, Sawani etc. Later he studied Khayal music and mastered a large number of ragas. At the age of 14 (1930), Bismillah accompanied his Ustad to the Allahabad Music Conference. This was his first opportunity to reproduce the composition of 'bandash' and his skill was greatly appreciated. At the end of his recital, the great Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted the young boy's back and said, "Work hard and you shall make it". He brought the shehnai to the center stage of Indian music with his concert in the Calcutta All India Music Conference in 1937. With the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938 came Bismillah's big break. He soon became an often-heard Shehnai player on radio.

    When India gained Independence on August 15,1947, Bismillah became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. He played to an audience, which included Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, who later gave his famous 'Tryst with Destiny' speech. January 25, 1950: Bismillah Khan performs Raga Kafi from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the eve of India's first Republic Day ceremony. Bismillah Khan, a devout Muslim referred to his Shehnai his Quran- I-le. Every year, on the eighth day of Muharram, he would lead a procession through the narrow lanes of Banaras, proudly displaying his rebellion by blowing on his Shehnai. His first trip abroad was to Afghanistan where King Zahir Shah was so taken in by the maestro that he gifted him priceless Persian carpets and other souvenirs. He also performed in Europe, Iran, Iraq, Canada, West Africa, USA, USSR, Japan, Hong Kong and almost every capital city of the world. Bismillah Khan is also the first Indian who was invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Center Hall in the USA.

    Bismillah Khan receives the 'Padmashri' in 1961. Bismillah Khan receives the 'Padma Bhushan' in 1968. Bismillah Khan receives the 'Padma Vibhushan' in 1980. Bismillah Khan receives the Second Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhana Award in 1994. Bismillah Khan is the third classical musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (in 2001), India's highest civilian honour in India. Bismillah Khan acquired honorary doctorates from the Banaras Hindu University and the Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan. He has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Academi Award, the Tansen Award of the Madhya Pradesh government and also the prestigious Padma Vibhushan. Khan Saheb's shehnai recitals were a cultural part of the Independence Day Celebrations telecast on Doordarshan every year on August 15th since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister (1947-1964). August 21, 2006: Bismillah Khan, one of India's most celebrated classical musicians, dies of cardiac arrest at Varanasi's Heritage Hospital. Government declares one day national morning.

Bismillah Khan: A dream unfullfilled

     New Delhi: He enthralled audiences with a superlative performance at the 17th century Red Fort on India's first Republic Day, but Ustad Bismillah Khan had one last dream - - to perform at the India Gate before he passed on. Sadly, that wish remains unfulfilled following his death on Monday morning. For a man who mesmerised generations of Indians with his mellifluous music, fate willed that he would not participate in a memorable concert with India's Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar at India Gate on August 9. The event was cancelled due to security fears. Single-handedly responsible for making music from the shehnai famous through over six decades of dedication to the art, Ustad Bismillah Khan had at one time charged the government of the day with denying him an opportunity to play at India Gate because he was a Muslim. But later on, during a time of self-introspection as he got older, he said: "Music has no caste. I have received love and affection all over the world. The government has given me all the four highest civilian awards in the past five decades." Khan was born on 21 March, 1916. His ancestors were court musicians in the princely state of Dumraon in Bihar and he was trained under his uncle, the late Ali Bux 'Vilayatu', a shehnai player attached to Varanasi's Vishwanath Temple. Where others saw conflict and contradiction between his music and his religion, Bismillah Khan saw only a divine unity. Even as a devout Shia, he was also a staunch devotee of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of music. During his long and fruitful career as an artiste, Khan enthralled audiences at performances across the globe. He was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, the Tansen award as well as the Padma Vibhushan.

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