Vilayat Khan

Vilayat Khan, born বিলায়েত খাঁ on August 28, 1928, in Gouripur, Mymensingh, British India (now Bangladesh), was an Indian classical sitar player. He began his musical training under the guidance of his father, Enayat Khan, and other family members within the Imdadkhani gharana style. At age eight, Vilayat Khan recorded his first 78-RPM disc, marking the start of a prolific career. His breakthrough came with performances at notable events such as the All Bengal Music Conference in Kolkata. Throughout the 1950s and beyond, he collaborated with instrument makers to develop the sitar further and pioneered the gayaki ang technique. Vilayat Khan composed music for films, including Jalsaghar (1958). He received the Padma Shri in 1964 and the Padma Bhushan in 1968. His discography includes albums like India's Master of the Sitar (1969). He continued performing until his death on March 13, 2004, from lung cancer.