Ustad Sabri Khan

December 13, 2018

A commemorative postage stamp on Ustad Sabri Khan, an Indian Sarangi player :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 13, 2018

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Ustad Sabri Khan.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Shri Kamleshwar Singh

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 5.0 Lakh

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Sabri Khan

Born on May 21, 1927 at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Died on Dec 1, 2015 at New Delhi, India

About :

Ustad Sabri Khan was born on 21^st May, 1927 at Moradabad, UP. He was a renowned musician of India who descended on both sides of his family from a line of distinguished musicians. By virtue of belonging to the Senia Moradabad Gharana, the tradition of his music can be traced to Mian Tansen, the great vocalist in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Khansaheb was initiated into Sarangi playing by his grandfather, Ustad Haji Mohammed Khan and later continued his training under his father Ustad Chajju Khan, both accomplished Sarangi exponents of their time. In addition to his rigorous training, he learnt some important and rare techniques of playing this ancient and difficult instrument from his uncle, Ustad Laddan Khan of Rampur.
Khansaheb had a prodigious command over the Sarangi – bowed instrument, which is considered to be a tough instrument to master in Indian instrumental music. In playing Sarangi, he generated his own style where along with purity of raga, variety of tans, layakari (rhythmic oscillations), alaap-jor the traditional form of Sarangi-playing in its total originality was also present.
The credit of introducing the Sarangi to American and European audiences goes to Khansaheb. He had played the first ever Sarangi and Western violin duet with the renowned Sir Yehudi Menuhin and he was invited as a visiting professor by the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. He toured extensively across the world and performed in various countries. He won respect, admiration and accolades from audiences across the world. Ustad Sahib was one of the musicians from All India Radio who performed for India’s Independence on 15^th August, 1947 at Parliament House, New Delhi.
When Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru was ill and he was advised by the doctors to listen to music, it was Ustad Saheb who used to go and perform for him. He was also the favourite of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and former Presidents of India, Sh. V. V. Giri, Shri R. Venkatraman and Sh. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. In appreciation of his contribution to Classical Music of India, Ustad Sabri Khan received numerous honours and awards, including the Sahitya Kala Parishad Award, UP Sangeet Natak Academy Award, National Sangeet Natak Academy Award and the prestigious Padma Shri Award and Padma Bhushan Award from the President of India. He died at the age of 88 on 01 December, 2015 at his home in New Delhi.
The seventh and eighth generations of his family are contributing with the tradition of playing Sarangi in the form of his son, Ustad Kamal Sabri and grandsons Suhail Khan and Nabeel Khan.
Text : Based on information received from the proponent.