Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

Grammy nominated Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is a maestro without peer in Indian classical music. He was all of six years old when Amjad Ali Khan gave his first recital of Sarod. It was the beginning of yet another glorious chapter in the history of Indian classical music. Taught by his father Haafiz Ali Khan, a musician to the royal family of Gwalior, Amjad Ali Khan was born to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia Bangash School of Music. He shoulders the sixth generation of this legendary family, who have been responsible for nurturing the Sarod over several hundred years. In fact, it is likely that anyone playing the Sarod today will have been influenced, directly or indirectly, by the ancestors of Amjad Ali Khan. Today, Amjad Ali Khan is one of the world's leading contemporary Sarod virtuosos, performing internationally at music festivals and in some of the most prestigious concert halls. He has also won many honours and awards for his playing including the UNESCO Award, Padma Vibushan (Highest Indian civilian award), Unicef's National Ambassadorship, The Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum, the Fukuoka Asian Cultural Grand Prize 2004 and Honorary Doctorates from the University of York, England, Delhi University and the Vishva Bharti (Deshikottam) in Shantiniketan.