RhysFrisina87: enhanced formatting additionally and added references based on references

2026-01-16T09:50:27Z

enhanced formatting additionally and added references based on references

91.74.215.63: I added the fact that Rais Khan had been influenced by his illustrious uncle, Ustad Vilayat Khan.

2021-05-01T18:53:06Z

I added the fact that Rais Khan had been influenced by his illustrious uncle, Ustad Vilayat Khan.

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{{short description|Pakistani musician}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix = [[Ustad]]
| name = ustad Rais Khan
| honorific_suffix = [[Pride of Performance]], [[Sitara-i-Imtiaz]]
| image = Ustad Rais Khan.jpg
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| landscape = 
| alt =
| caption = Khan performing in 2013
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| native_name = استاد رئیس خان
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1939|11|25}}
| birth_place = [[Indore]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]]
| origin =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|5|6|1939|11|25|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Karachi]], [[Pakistan]]
| genre = [[Hindustani classical music]]
| occupation = Instrumentalist
| instrument = [[Sitar]]
| years_active = 1948 – 2017
| label =
| associated_acts =
}}
{{Infobox award
| name = [[Pride of Performance|Pride of Performance Recipient]]
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| country = [[Pakistan]]
| date = 2005
| presenter = [[Pervez Musharraf]], [[President of Pakistan]]
}}
[[Ustad]] '''Rais Khan''' ({{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|رئیس خان}}}}&lrm;; 25 November 1939{{spaced ndash}}6 May 2017) was a Pakistani [[sitarist]]. At his peak he was regarded as 'one of the greatest sitar players of all time'.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Adnan|first1=Ally|title=Indus Raag|url=http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/indus-raag/|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[The Friday Times]]|date=2 May 2014|quote=One of the greatest sitar players of all times, Rais Khan is hands-down the most melodic sitar player in the world today.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Kumar|first1=Kuldeep|title=A tale of two recitals|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/a-tale-of-two-recitals/article2796741.ece|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[The Hindu]] (newspaper)|date=January 13, 2012|quote=Rais Khan who in his heyday was considered among the most skilful sitar players in the country.}}</ref> He continued performing till his last days.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eid ul Fitr Schedule 2016|url=http://www.ptv.com.pk/public/user/assets/pdf/EidulFitr-Schedule2016.pdf|publisher=[[Pakistan Television Corporation]]|access-date=31 December 2018}}</ref> He moved from India to Pakistan in 1986, where he took up Pakistani citizenship.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1337210|title=Music: The narcissim of Rais Khan|work=Dawn|access-date=1 November 2020|date=7 June 2017|quote=Probably, this could have been another reason (besides his Pakistani wife Bilquis Khanum’s inability to acclimate to Bombay) for him to migrate to Pakistan and accept Pakistani citizenship.|first=Mohammad|last=Shehzad}}</ref> In 2017, Khan was awarded Pakistan's third highest civilian honour, the [[Sitara-i-Imtiaz]].<ref name=PakObserver/>

==Personal life==
Rais Khan was born on 25 November 1939 in [[Indore]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[British India]].<ref name="Profile"/><ref name="Samaa">{{cite news|title=Sitar legend Ustad Raees Khan passes away|url=https://www.samaa.tv/entertainment/2017/05/sitar-legend-ustad-raees-khan-passes-away/|access-date=7 May 2017|work=[[Samaa TV]]|date=7 May 2017}}</ref> He grew up in [[Bombay]]. His training began at a very young age, on a small coconut shell sitar.<ref name=TheHindu>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/10/29/stories/2005102900260200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927222816/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/10/29/stories/2005102900260200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2011|title='Today, music is about cloning' (interview with Rais Khan)|date= 29 October 2005|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=31 December 2018}}</ref> In 1986 he moved to Pakistan, seven years after marrying his fourth wife - a [[Pakistani]] singer named [[Bilqees Khanum]]. In 1979, the two met for the first time in a programme by the [[Sabri Brothers]] in Karachi. They have two sons together - Farhan Khan and Huzoor Hasnain Khan.<ref name="Profile">{{cite news|title=Profile: The string maestro|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/764879|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] (newspaper)|date=November 18, 2012}}</ref> Rais Khan has four sons:<ref name="Obituary">{{cite news|last1=Salman|first1=Peerzada|title=OBITUARY: The sitar has fallen silent|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1331622|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] (newspaper)|date=7 May 2017}}</ref> Sohail Khan, [[Cezanne Khan]], Farhan Khan and Huzoor Hasnain Khan.<ref name="Tribune">{{cite news|last1=Lodhi|first1=Adnan|title=Renowned sitarist Ustad Raees Khan passes away|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1403595/renown-sitarist-ustad-raees-khan-passes-away/|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[Express Tribune]] (newspaper)|date=7 May 2017}}</ref>

==Career==
Rais Khan belonged to the Mewati gharana (classical music lineage), which is connected to [[Indore gharana]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hamilton|first1=James Sadler|title=Sitar Music in Calcutta: An Ethnomusicological Study|date=1994|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publisher|isbn=9788120812109|pages=26–28|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JP5Wzqq7I80C&pg=PA28|access-date=8 May 2017}}</ref><ref name="Profile"/> and the "beenkar baz [[gayaki]] ang" (singing style combined with rudra veena approaches) carried out by Rais Khan's father Mohammed Khan, a [[rudra veena]] player and a sitarist.<ref name="Profile"/> "Belonging to the Mewati gharana which goes back to the Mughal period, it produced famous singers Haddoo, Hasso and Nathu Khan, and later singers such as Bare Ghulam Ali Khan, as well as sitarists and sarod players."<ref name="Profile"/>
<blockquote>
"The famous Indian sitar player Ustad Vilayat Khan is his maternal uncle who came to live with them when Vilayat's father died. Rais Khan denies there is any friction between them, contrary to the rumours that exist even today. He praises Ravi Shankar, said to be a rival too, as a brilliant musician who has introduced the sitar to the world."<ref name="Profile"/>
</blockquote>
Despite his extensive [[meend]] work and the [[Swara|gandhar]] pancham sitar style he used, Rais Khan's [[alap]]i, gatkari and [[gamak]]i work was different in approach, pacing, and even technique, from the [[Imdadkhani gharana|Etawah]] style. Amongst the ''khayal'' and ''dhrupad'' doyens, Rais Khan's gharana had the classical music lineage containing the masters Haddu Khan, Hassu Khan, Nathan Khan,<ref name="Profile"/> Bande Ali Khan, Babu Khan, Wazir Khan, Waheed Khan, Murad Khan, Latif Khan, Majid Khan, Nazeer Khan, Amanat Khan and [[Rajab Ali Khan]] of [[Dewas]].<ref>Amit Adiecha – "History of Sitar," and the CD "Melodious Sitar of Rais Khan" – Chhanda Dhara 1993</ref>

As Rais Khan's mother was a singer and his father was a beenkar (veena player), a unique combination of [[khyal]] (the most popular classical vocal style), [[dhrupad]] (the older and more orthodox classical form) and [[thumri]] (lyrical semi-classical form) – 'angs' (approaches) developed in his playing.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Manuel|first1=Peter Lamarche|title=Ṭhumrī in Historical and Stylistic Perspectives|date=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=9788120806733|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PlNShmx3x68C&pg=PA173|access-date=7 May 2017}}</ref><ref name="Profile"/>

He gave his first public concert at Sunderbai Hall in the presence of the then [[Governor of Bombay]] Sir Maharaja Singh.<ref>[http://www.icmcdfw.org/bios/raisKhan.htm Rais Khan profile] Retrieved 31 December 2018</ref><ref name="Tribune"/> In 1955, Khan was chosen to represent India in the International Youth Festival in Warsaw, where 111 countries took part in the string instrument conference.<ref name="Profile"/> He has also performed at the [[Kennedy Center]]. While in India, he played film music for [[Lata Mangeshkar]], [[Mohammed Rafi]] and [[Asha Bhosle]].<ref name="Profile"/> In India, he played a key role by his association with film composers like [[Madan Mohan]] which resulted in many super-hit songs.<ref name="Obituary"/> He had toured extensively throughout the world.<ref name="Tribune"/>

He was also a vocalist and was the first sitar player to record the super-hit song 'Ghungroo toot gaye' for [[BBC]] London in 1978 as an instrumental song with the sitar.<ref name="Profile"/> This song was originally written by [[Qateel Shifai]], music by [[Nisar Bazmi]] for a Pakistani film '''Naz''' (1969).<ref>{{cite web|title=Pakistani film database 1969|url=http://cineplot.com/pakistani-film-database-1969/|publisher=cineplot.com|access-date=31 December 2018}}</ref> Like his uncle [[Vilayat Khan]], whose music had exercised considerable influence on him, he often sang and demonstrated compositions on the sitar. Rais and [[Bismillah Khan]] ([[shehnai]] player) used to collaborate and perform together in live concerts as a duo,<ref name="Obituary"/> like the one at [[India Gate]] in New Delhi on 23 November 2001.<ref>{{cite news|title=A superb recital by sitar maestro|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/168566-a-superb-recital-by-sitar-maestro|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[The News International]] (newspaper)|date=30 March 2009}}</ref>

For sometime, Rais Khan stopped performing, but returned in the 1980s and was invited by [[Ali Akbar Khan]] to perform in California.

Rais Khan sometimes performed with his son Farhan,<ref name="Obituary"/> as he did in a 2009 performance for [[Pakistan Television]] (PTV) produced TV show 'Virsa- Heritage Revived', accompanied by [[Tari Khan]] on [[tabla]]. In 2012, he performed at the [[Nehru Centre]] in Mumbai.<ref>{{cite news|last1=S|first1=Surekha|title=Strike a chord with 'chocolate' Ustad|url=http://m.mid-day.com/articles/strike-chord-chocolate-ustad/151190|access-date=31 December 2018|work=mid-day.com|date=20 January 2012}}</ref> In 2014, he performed ''Hans Dhuni'' in [[Coke Studio Pakistan (season 7)]].<ref name="Geo">{{cite news|title=Sitar maestro Ustad Raees Khan passes away|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/140814-Sitar-maestro-Ustad-Raees-Khan-passes-away|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[Geo News]] (TV channel)|date=May 7, 2017}}</ref>

==Death and legacy==
After a prolonged illness, Rais Khan died on 6 May 2017 in Karachi at the age of 77.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistani sitar maestro Ustad Raees Khan dead at 77|url=http://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/pakistani-sitar-maestro-ustad-raees-khan-dead-at-77-3429208.html|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[Firstpost]]|agency=[[Indo-Asian News Service]]|date=7 May 2017}}</ref><ref name="Geo"/> In 2012, one major Pakistani English-language newspaper commented about his declining health, "He proudly says that his decades old habit of smoking 115 cigarettes a day, which is the reason for his declining health, came to an abrupt end four years ago when the doctor ordered him to stop."<ref name="Profile"/>

On his death, Urdu writer [[Anwar Maqsood]] remarked that “God had given him a rare gift. His fingers had that rare touch.”<ref name="Obituary"/> In a tweet, Indian singer [[Lata Mangeshkar]] called Khan “''sitar ke jaadugar''” (lit. magician of sitar).<ref name="Samaa"/>

His son Farhan Khan is also a sitarist.<ref name="Profile"/>

==Awards==
*[[Pride of Performance]] by the [[President of Pakistan]] in 2005.<ref name="Tribune"/><ref name="Geo"/>
*[[Sitara-i-Imtiaz]] (Star of Excellence) by the [[Government of Pakistan]] in 2017.<ref name=PakObserver>{{cite news|title=President confers 145 civil awards|url=http://pakobserver.net/president-confers-145-civil-awards/|access-date=31 December 2018|work=[[Pakistan Observer]]|agency=[[Associated Press of Pakistan]]|date=24 March 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Pride of Performance for Arts}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Rais}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:Hindustani instrumentalists]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Pakistan]]
[[Category:Hum Award winners]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Indore]]
[[Category:Musicians from Karachi]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Pakistani musicians]]
[[Category:People who lost Indian citizenship]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance]]
[[Category:Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Sitar players]]

Rais Khan - Revision history

RhysFrisina87: enhanced formatting additionally and added references based on references

91.74.215.63: I added the fact that Rais Khan had been influenced by his illustrious uncle, Ustad Vilayat Khan.