1920-2012
Ravi Shankar was undoubtedly the most famous sitarist of the 20th century.
Ravi Shankar had an interesting childhood. He was born on April 7, 1920 in Benares (a.k.a. Varanasi, or Kashi) into a Bengali brahmin community. His family’s native place was Kalia which is now in Bangladesh. His early upbringing was steeped in music and culture. As a child he had played a number of instruments and even sang in school functions.
When Ravi Shankar was very young, his father and brother (Uday Shankar) left India and went to Europe to live. This paved the way for Ravi Shankar’s entrance into European society. In 1930 he moved to Paris to be part of his brother’s troupe.
Paris had a very powerful affect upon the young Ravi Shankar. He continued his education in Paris, but more importantly he learned much from his environment. On one hand, he was exposed to Indian music and dance through his brother’s troupe. Of equal importance was his knowledge of Western ways. These combined skills would one day make him a formidable entity in the world of music.
It was in 1938 that he moved back to India to begin his formal training. He apprenticed himself to Ustad Allauddin Khan, affectionately known as Baba. He spent a number of years learning the sitar under his able tutelage.
After his apprenticeship was finished, he set out to pursue his professional career. During this period he began to create a name for himself in radio, and films. He composed music for such films as Dharti ke Lal, and Neecha Nagar. He also composed the music to Mohd. Iqbal’s Sare Jahan Se Accha which even today is the most famous version. In 1949 he became a music director of All In India Radio in Delhi. He also continued to travel back and forth between India and the West.
1966 was an important year for him. It was during this time that George Harrison of the Beatles became his student. This association catapulted Ravi Shankar to international fame. His performances at Monterey, Woodstock, and his numerous recordings earned him the undying admiration of an entire generation.
He has won many awards including the Bharat Ratna, several Grammy awards, numerous honorary Doctorates.
But his life has not all been easy. His mother died when he was very young, There were tremendous professional struggles during his youth. There was the failed first marriage to Annapurna Devi, and the premature death of their son. These difficulties would be hard for many people to bear.
However, in later years his personal life settled down. He is married to Sukanya, and their daughter Anoushka Shankar, is a respected sitarist in her own right. One other daughter who has made a very big name for herself is the Nora Jones, the famous singer.
Ravi Shankar died on December 9, 2012.