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Artist
Pandit Ravi Shankar
The Global Ambassador of Sitar
Instrument
Sitar
Tradition
Hindustani
Gharana
Maihar Gharana
Era
1920–2012
About This Artist
Pandit Ravi Shankar is arguably the most important figure in bringing Indian classical music to the global stage. A virtuoso sitarist and composer, he trained under the legendary Baba Allauddin Khan at Maihar. His collaboration with George Harrison of The Beatles in the 1960s sparked a worldwide fascination with Indian music. But beyond the crossover fame, Shankar was a deeply serious classical musician — his concert recordings of raags like Yaman, Marwa, and Mian ki Malhar are considered benchmarks of the sitar tradition. He composed for film (including Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy), collaborated with Yehudi Menuhin and Philip Glass, and received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor.
Signature Style
Majestic alap, innovative jugalbandi, cross-cultural exploration
Notable Facts
- Trained under Baba Allauddin Khan alongside Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
- His performance at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967) introduced Indian music to Western audiences
- Composed three sitar concertos and the score for Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy
- Received the Bharat Ratna (1999) and three Grammy Awards
- Father of sitarist Anoushka Shankar and singer Norah Jones