Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920–2012), born Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury, was a revolutionary sitar virtuoso who popularized Indian classical music globally and became a cultural ambassador bridging Eastern and Western traditions.
Birth: Born on 7 April 1920 in Varanasi, India, to a Bengali Brahmin family.
Paris Years: Moved to Paris at age 10 with his brother Uday Shankar’s dance troupe, performing across Europe and learning Western music.
Sitar Training: Returned to India in 1938 to study under Ustad Allauddin Khan (Maihar gharana), mastering the sitar after rigorous training.
Film Scores: Composed for Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy (Pather Panchali, 1955) and Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982), earning global acclaim.
Cross-Cultural Collaborations:
Yehudi Menuhin: Recorded West Meets East (1967), blending sitar with violin.
George Harrison: Mentored the Beatles guitarist, sparking the 1960s “sitar craze” in Western pop.
Philip Glass: Co-composed Passages (1990), merging minimalism with Indian ragas.
Innovative Compositions: Pioneered sitar concertos with orchestras, including Raga Mala and Sitar Concerto No. 1.
Bharat Ratna (1999), India’s highest civilian honor.
Three Grammy Awards, including Best World Music Album for Full Circle (2002).
Praemium Imperiale (1997) for lifetime achievement in the arts.
Global Influence: Played landmark venues like Monterey Pop (1967) and Woodstock (1969), though he distanced himself from drug-associated counterculture.
Educational Work: Founded Kinnara School of Music (1962) in Mumbai and Los Angeles to teach Indian classical traditions.
Family: Father to Norah Jones (Grammy-winning jazz artist) and Anoushka Shankar (sitar virtuoso), who continues his legacy.
Shankar viewed music as a universal language, stating: “Music transcends all boundaries of geography and nationality”. His synthesis of technical rigor and emotional expression redefined Indian classical music’s global presence.
Death: Passed on 11 December 2012 in San Diego, California, leaving behind a transformative musical legacy.
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Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920–2012), born Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury, was a revolutionary sitar virtuoso who popularized Indian classical music globally and became a cultural ambassador bridging Eastern and Western traditions. Birth: Born on 7 April 1920 in Varanasi, India, to a Bengali Brahmin family. Paris Years: Moved to Paris at age 10 with his brother Uday Shankar’s dance troupe, performing across Europe and learning Western music. Sitar Training: Returned to India in 1938 to study under Ustad Allauddin Khan (Maihar gharana), mastering the sitar after rigorous training. Film Scores: Composed for Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy (Pather Panchali, 1955) and Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982), earning global acclaim. Cross-Cultural Collaborations: Yehudi Menuhin: Recorded West Meets East (1967), blending sitar with violin. George Harrison: Mentored the Beatles guitarist, sparking the 1960s “sitar craze” in Western pop. Philip Glass: Co-composed Passages (1990), merging minimalism with Indian ragas. Innovative Compositions: Pioneered sitar concertos with orchestras, including Raga Mala and Sitar Concerto No. 1. Bharat Ratna (1999), India’s highest civilian honor. Three Grammy Awards, including Best World Music Album for Full Circle (2002). Praemium Imperiale (1997) for lifetime achievement in the arts. Global Influence: Played landmark venues like Monterey Pop (1967) and Woodstock (1969), though he distanced himself from drug-associated counterculture. Educational Work: Founded Kinnara School of Music (1962) in Mumbai and Los Angeles to teach Indian classical traditions. Family: Father to Norah Jones (Grammy-winning jazz artist) and Anoushka Shankar (sitar virtuoso), who continues his legacy. Shankar viewed music as a universal language, stating: “Music transcends all boundaries of geography and nationality”. His synthesis of technical rigor and emotional expression redefined Indian classical music’s global presence. Death: Passed on 11 December 2012 in San Diego, California, leaving behind a transformative musical legacy.