Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar
Name	Ravi Shankar
Caption	Shankar performing in 1971
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury
Birth date	07 April 1920
Birth place	Varanasi, Benares State, British India
Death date	11 December 2012
Death place	San Diego, California, United States
Instrument	Sitar
Genre	Hindustani classical music, world music
Occupation	Musician, composer
Years active	1939–2012
Associated acts	Uday Shankar, Allauddin Khan, Yehudi Menuhin, The Beatles, George Harrison

Ravi Shankar. He was a legendary Indian sitar virtuoso and composer who became a pivotal global ambassador for Hindustani classical music. Through his extensive international tours, groundbreaking collaborations with Western musicians, and profound artistry, he introduced the rich traditions of Indian classical music to worldwide audiences. His influence reshaped the landscape of 20th-century music, inspiring genres from classical music to psychedelic rock and cementing his legacy as one of India's most celebrated cultural figures.

Early life and training

Born in the holy city of Varanasi to a Bengali Brahmin family, he spent his formative years in Paris with his elder brother, the renowned dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar. Immersed in the artistic milieu of 1930s Europe, he initially performed dance and music in his brother's troupe. At age 18, he abandoned this life to undertake a rigorous, seven-year gurukul apprenticeship under the stern maestro Allauddin Khan in Maihar. This discipleship, under the guidance of the revered teacher who was also the father of Ali Akbar Khan and the husband of Annapurna Devi, provided a formidable foundation in the Senia gharana tradition. His training encompassed not only the sitar but also the surbahar and the intricacies of raga and tala.

Career

After completing his training, he began his professional career as a composer for the All India Radio in New Delhi, where he formed the National Orchestra. His international breakthrough came in the 1950s with tours across Europe, the Soviet Union, and the United States, performing at prestigious venues like Moscow Conservatory and Edinburgh International Festival. Landmark recordings for EMI and the World Pacific label, such as "The Sounds of India," became essential primers. He gained iconic status in the 1960s following his association with George Harrison of The Beatles, performing at the Monterey International Pop Festival and the Woodstock Festival. Later career highlights included composing concertos for sitar and orchestra for the London Symphony Orchestra and serving as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.

Musical style and contributions

His artistry was defined by a deep reverence for the melodic structures of the raga and the complex rhythmic cycles of tala. He was renowned for the purity of his gayaki ang (vocal style) on the sitar, his elaborate, hypnotic alap introductions, and blisteringly fast jhala passages. He composed numerous gats and revitalized several rare ragas. Beyond performance, he made significant pedagogical contributions, authoring instructional books and establishing the Kinnara School in Mumbai and later the Ravi Shankar Institute in New Delhi. His compositions also extended to film scores, most notably for Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy.

Collaborations and influence

His pioneering cross-cultural work fundamentally altered global music. His partnership with violinist Yehudi Menuhin, including the landmark album "West Meets East," bridged Indian music and Western classical traditions. His mentorship of George Harrison, who famously studied the sitar in India, directly infused Indian instrumentation and philosophy into rock music, influencing bands like The Byrds and The Rolling Stones. He collaborated with a diverse array of artists including Philip Glass (on the album "Passages"), John Coltrane (who named his son Ravi Coltrane in his honor), and Jean-Pierre Rampal. His influence permeated the psychedelic rock scene and the broader counterculture of the 1960s.

Awards and recognition

He received India's highest civilian honors, the Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna. Internationally, he was awarded the prestigious Grammy Award on multiple occasions, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Academy Award nomination for his score for the film "Gandhi." He received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize and was made a Commander of the Legion of Honour by France. In 1973, he delivered a celebrated lecture at the United Nations and was named "Musician of the Year" by the American magazine Musical America.

Personal life and legacy

His personal life included relationships with dancer Kamala Shastri and concert producer Sue Jones, with whom he had a daughter, singer Norah Jones. He later married Sukanya Rajan, with whom he had a second daughter, sitarist Anoushka Shankar. He passed away in 2012 in San Diego after undergoing heart surgery. His legacy endures through his children's musical careers, the continued work of his institutions, and the millions of listeners he introduced to Indian classical music. He is remembered as the quintessential global guru whose artistry fostered a profound dialogue between East and West.

Category:Indian musicians Category:Sitar players Category:Recipients of the Bharat Ratna