Shehnai Maestro Bismillah Khan’s biography: Early life, career, achievements, legacy, and more

Originally known as Qamruddin Khan, Bismillah Khan was born on 21st March 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar and Orissa province, British India. He was a classical musician who played shehnai, a ceremonial oboelike North Indian horn with such expressive inventiveness that he became a prominent Indian classical music artist. In this article, you will get to know about his early life, education, career, awards and recognition, and more. So without further ado, let’s get started. 

The remarkable talent of a classical musician who developed a fondness for shehnai among music lovers, Ustad Bismillah Khan can never be forgotten and will forever stay in the hearts of people. On his birth anniversary, MP Ravi Shankar Prasad took to Twitter to express his tribute.

My tribute to the great Indian Shehnai Maestro "Bharat Ratna" Ustad Bismillah Khan Ji on his birthday. pic.twitter.com/sxetC6ykfb

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) March 21, 2015

Bismillah Khan Biography

Bismillah Khan: Early life 

Born as the second son to Paigambar Khan and Mitthan, Bismillah Khan was earlier named Qamaruddin so that his name would sound similar to the name of his elder brother, Shamsuddin. However, when his grandfather, Rasool Baksh Khan held him as a baby, he uttered the word "Bismillah" and hence came to be known as Bismillah Khan. 

Khan’s family ancestors were musicians in the court of the princely states of Bhojpur and his father was a Shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh. Being born into a family of musicians, Bismillah Khan started developing a knack for music during his childhood. Growing up watching his father play shehnai, he decided to follow in his footsteps. 

 At the age of six, Bismillah began his journey to Varanasi where he got trained by his uncle, Ali Baksh who used to play shehnai in temples and many ceremonies for Hindu deities as well as at weddings. He learned shehnai by accompanying his uncle to the ceremonies. As he started developing a fondness for the instrument, he practiced numerous musical forms and ragas that helped him discover considerable patterns in shehnai that were considered impossible by other musicians. 

Bismillah Khan: Career 

Bismillah Khan started his career by playing at numerous stage shows. He got his first major break in 1937 when he played at a concert at the All India Music Conference in Calcutta. After this performance, Shenani got popularized as an instrument and was highly appreciated by music lovers. Bismillah’s first break acted as a turning point in his career as after this there was no turning back. He went on to perform in different countries such as the USA, Canada, Bangladesh, West Africa, Japan, Iran, Iraq, and Hong Kong. 

The honor of playing on the eve of India’s independence 

Bismillah Khan received the rare honor of playing shehnai at Red fort, Delhi on the occasion of India's independence eve in 1947. His performance was considered the major attraction of the Independence day celebrations and reached thousands of households as it was live broadcast by Doordarshan. 

Bismillah Khan: Personal life and family

Khan is known for living a simple lifestyle. He traveled places by cycle and rickshaw and ate simple food. Belonging to a joint family, he treated every member with love and respect. Although he had five biological sons, he adopted a daughter as well. 

Bismillah Khan: Cinema performances 

Bismillah Khan: Awards and Recognition 

Bismillah Khan: A living example of religious harmony 

Although Khan was a Shia Muslim, he worshiped the goddess Saraswati and performed at both  Hindu and Muslim ceremonies. There’s also a story that narrates Khan’s interaction with Lord Krishna himself. It starts on his train journey from Jamshedpur to Varanasi where he was going to perform in a religious concert. During his journey, he came across a young boy with a dark complexion, holding a flute in his hand. The boy was playing the ‘raaga’ that Ustad couldn’t recognize. He asked the boy to play the same tune repeatedly. 

After reaching Varanasi, Bismillah Khan is said to have played the same tune, which he had learned from the young and mysterious boy he met on his journey. When contemporary musicians asked him about the new ‘raaga’ he discovered he told them that the raaga he played is called ‘Kanhaira’.

Bismillah Khan: Legacy 

Ustad Bismillah Khan was one of the most legendary classical musicians to popularize shehnai in Indian classical music. He invented new raagas and patterns that made a significant impact on musicians. Although he didn’t accept many students as his disciples that could have carried his legacy, he made such an everlasting impact on music that he became unforgettable. 

In his honor, Sangeet Natak Akademi came up with a new award called ‘Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar’ which is awarded to young performers who bring a new perspective to the field of music, dance, and theatre.