Bidyut Khan

Early life and family

Bidyut Khan is a Bengali sarod player.He is the elder son of eminent sarod player Ustad Bahadur Khan. He was born in Comilla, Bangladesh and he started learning tabla at the age of three from his grandfather Ustad Ayet Ali Khan [ [http://a-bangladesh.com/banglapedia/HT/K_0168.htm] On Ustad Ayet Ali Khan] , who was the younger brother of legendary Baba Alauddin Khan. He moved to Kolkata with his father when he was nine. There he started learning the tabla under Pandit Shamta Prasad and later Pandit Anil Bhattacharya for a few years before at the age of thirteen when he formally took over the sarod from the hands of his grandfather Ustad Ayet Ali Khan [ [http://banglapedia.org/HT/K_0168.HTM] On Ustad Ayet Ali Khan] , at a family ceremony. Since then till today sarod is his worship, love and everything. His guru was none other than his own father who shaped young Bidyut Khan to his best and introduced his son to the world of Indian Classical Music. But before he could really place his son at a comfortable place to command the art, sadly he passed away at an age of fifty nine. After that it was Bidyut Khan’s lone journey. Although music was the lifeline of his family, even in the midst of his musical preoccupation he managed to pursue studies and completed his graduation in science.

Career and achievements

During his long association with music he participated in different music conferences and concerts as a performing artist. Out of the various music conferences where he performed, the prominent ones are, The Dover lane Music Conference in Kolkata, where gems of Indian Classical world take part every year for the last 56 years ; Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Memorial Society, New Delhi ; Sadarang Music Conference ; Surdas Sangeet Sammelan ; Srirampur Music Conference, Swar Vistar Music and Dance Conference [ [http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2008/02/01/stories/2008020150140200.htm] The Hindu, Friday Review, Delhi] etc.Besides he had also toured extensively to Europe to perform in various music conferences of Indian Classical Music held in various cities of NORWAY, DENMARK, SWEDEN, GERMANY, ITALY, HOLLAND and ENGLAND in the years 2002-2003.Earlier at home he was awarded the best Musician’s award in 1998, by the All India Critics Association, which is an independent body of critics and recognizes personalities who makes significant contribution to various fields of art, culture, politics etc.He received training in the ‘Seni’ gharana, which was evolved through ages with the tradition of imparting the art from one generation to the next. Ustad Wazir khan, who had relations with Mian Tansen, the famous gem of the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar, was instrumental in developing and perpetuating this gharana. It was further refined by such genius like Ustad Baba Allauddin Khan. Bidyut Khan being in the lineage of his grandfather Baba Allauddin Khan, his uncles Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and also Pandit Ravi Shankar who first married to his aunt Shrimati Annapurna Devi, has been dedicated to Indian Classical Music and actively involved in propagating the art through Ustad Bahadur Khan Music Circle in Kolkata. He continues to reside in the same old residence in which his father, uncles, grandfathers once used to practice where the walls of the rooms are full with the vibrations once created by these great ustads This needs clean up!!!Not written in an academic manner. Also there's no need for his family tree.

Teaching

He has been teaching sarod in 'Bahadur Khan Music Circle', where other Indian Classical Instruments are taught. He also was a part-time lecturer in Indian classical Instrumental (Sarod) Music at prestigious Rabindra Bharati University at Kolkata in West Bengal, India.

Contribution to Indian Music

He is an active member of Bahadur Khan Music Circle in Calcutta which is a forum to nurture young talents in Instrumental in Indian Classical Music and conducts a music festival each year commemorating the death anniversary of his father, where talented new artists are given a scope besides staging eminent Indian artists.

External links

* [http://www.ustadbidyutkhan.blogspot.com/ Bidyut Khan's blog]

References