Goodbyes are always hard, especially when they are untimely. January 9 marked a great loss for the Hindustani Classical music fraternity, as Rashid Khan passed away at the age of 55. Born in 1966 into a family of musicians, Khan learned music early. He trained in the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana and began performing at a very young age. His exceptional vocal abilities, especially in the khayal and thumri genres, earned him accolades.
Khan received several prestigious awards and honours, including the Padma Bhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. He performed extensively across the globe, captivating audiences with his emotive and powerful singing style. His passing marks the end of an era in Hindustani Classical music, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire budding musicians and enthusiasts alike.
Friends of the late musician shared their thoughts with My Kolkata.
Shubha Mudgal, singer
I would like to extend my condolences and prayers to Rashid bhai’s family and extended family of disciples. This is a blow to the world of Hindustani Classical music and I can only imagine their grief and trauma. I can hear in my head Rashid bhai’s beautiful voice calling out in Des raga Karam kar dije, asking for Khwaja Moinuddin’s grace and benevolence, and I hope his prayers will be heard and that his young son and many disciples, whom he trained, will rise above their grief to take his legacy forward.
Tanmoy Bose, percussionist
I grew up with him and performed at many concerts with him. His departure is untimely and it has created a big void in our lives… not just in music, but also as friends. I am currently on tour, but I want to pray for him. He knew my wife Bonnea very well as well. He would come to stay in her house when he was younger. He looked at her as his sister and they would tie rakhis and celebrate Bhai Phonta. They had a very close relationship.
Sourendro Mullick, pianist, and Soumyojit Das, vocalist
We are very shocked to hear the news. Before any concert, we listen to Rashid Khan’s music and sing along. We have been associated with him for 20 years. It started with us meeting him as college students for interviews. We later became close as musicians, then friends, then family. He was the son of god, and music was the message he was bringing into this world. We knew about his admission to hospital and had an idea of how this day was going to go. He loved us and he loved what we did.
