President Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of eminent Sarangi player Ustad Sabri Khan.
In his condolence message to his son, Kamal Sabri, the President said, "I am sad to learn about the passing away of your father, Ustad Sabri Khan.
Ustad Sabri Khan was an eminent Sarangi player, who popularised the instrument across the globe. He carved a niche for himself in the field of Indian classical music and was honoured with several awards, including Padma Shri (1992) and Padma Bhushan (2006). In his death, the nation has lost an artiste of exceptional ability. His sad demise has left a huge void in the field of music which will be difficult to fill.
Please accept my condolences and convey them to all other family members. I pray to the Almighty to give you and other members of your family, the strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss".
Khan passed away on December 1 at his home in New Delhi surrounded by his family. He was 88.
He was born on May 21, 1927 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh and belonged to the Sainia Gharana, which traces the tradition of its music back to the Mughal era musician Mian Tansen, the great vocalist in the court of Emperor Akbar.
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Khan was initiated into Sarangi playing by his grandfather, Ustad Haji Mohammed Khan and later continued his training under his father Ustad Chajju Khan, both of whom were accomplished Sarangi exponents of their time.
Khan also learned some important and rare techniques of playing this ancient and difficult instrument from his uncle Ustad Laddan Khan of Rampur.
Khan had a prodigious command over the Sarangi, a bowed instrument, which is considered to be a difficult instrument to master in Indian instrumental music.
In playing the Sarangi, he had generated his own style where the purity of raga, variety of tans, layakari, (rhythmic oscillations) alaap-jor are obvious and of course of the traditional form of sarangi-playing in its total originality.
During his life, Khan toured extensively across the world and performed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Japan, USSR, Russia, USA, Canada, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Mexico..
The credit of introducing the Sarangi to American and European audiences goes to Khan. He also played a duet with the renowned Yehudi Menuhin and was invited to be a visiting professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA.
Ustad Sabri Khan Sahib is survived by four sons- Sarwar Sabri (Musician - Tabla; living in Birmingham), Jamal Sarwar Sabri (Chartered Accountant; living in Dubai), Kamal Sabri (Musician - Sarangi; living in Delhi) and the youngest Gulfam Sabri; musician ; living in Delhi and five Daughters.
His grandsons also play musical instruments. They are Suhail Yusuf Khan (Sarangi), Faisal (Tabla), Shariq (Tabla), Junaid (Guitar) and Nabeel (Sarangi).
