Archival Overview
Foremost sitar virtuoso of the 20th century who introduced Hindustani classical music to the Western world, collaborating with Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison, and performing at Monterey and Woodstock.
Biographical Record
Ravi Shankar (1920–2012) spent his youth touring Europe and the US with his brother Uday Shankar's dance troupe before renouncing worldly glamour in 1938 to spend seven grueling years under rigorous guru-shishya parampara training with Baba Allauddin Khan, the legendary multi-instrumentalist of the Maihar gharana.
Mastering the intricacies of raga and tala, Shankar became India's supreme sitarist and composer. In the 1960s, his collaborations with violinist Yehudi Menuhin (*West Meets East*) and mentorship of Beatle George Harrison triggered a global fascination with Indian spirituality and musical philosophy. Performing iconic dawn and sunset ragas at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967) and Woodstock (1969), Shankar composed sitar concertos for the London Symphony and New York Philharmonic.
Key Life Milestones
Mesmerizing Performance at Monterey Pop Festival
Delivered a legendary three-hour raga performance before 50,000 young Americans, inaugurating the World Music era.
The Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden
Co-organized the first major rock-charity benefit concert with George Harrison, raising global awareness for refugees.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialSan Diego (California), United States