British India
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Vilayat Khan
Gouripur (Mymensingh), British India
Archival Overview
Indian sitar virtuoso of the Imdadkhani gharana who modified the structure of the sitar to develop the revolutionary 'gayaki ang' (vocal style), making the instrument sing with the human voice.
Biographical Record
Born into six generations of master musicians, Ustad Vilayat Khan (1928–2004) was a child prodigy who recorded his first 78 rpm disc at eight years old. Dissatisfied with the mechanical plucked sound of the sitar, he physically redesigned it: removing low bass strings, adding steel plates, and tuning sympathetic strings to mimic the nuances of classical khyal singing.
His fiery, lyrical duels with master tabla players like Kishen Maharaj became legendary. Fiercely independent and aristocratic in temperament, he famously refused national honors like the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, arguing the awarding committee lacked musical qualification to judge him.
Key Life Milestones
Invention of the Gayaki Ang on Sitar
Pioneered the vocal singing technique on sitar, transforming 20th-century instrumental performance.
Film Score for Satyajit Ray's 'Jalsaghar'
Composed the celebrated classical soundtrack for Satyajit Ray's masterpiece 'The Music Room'.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialMumbai, India