Ravi Shankar
- Born:
- April 7, 1920, Varanasi, British India
- Died:
- December 11, 2012, San Diego, California, USA
- Nationality:
- Indian
- Profession(s):
- Sitarist, Composer, Musician
Early Life and Education
- Born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury to a Bengali Brahmin family.
- Spent his youth touring Europe and India with his brother Uday Shankar's dance troupe.
- Began studying sitar under court musician Allauddin Khan in 1938, practicing rigorously for years.
Career and Major Achievements
- Emerged as a leading figure in Hindustani classical music.
- Composed for Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy.
- Performed globally, popularizing Indian classical music in the West.
- Taught sitar to George Harrison of The Beatles, further bridging Eastern and Western music.
- His performance at the 1967 Ravi Shankar Monterey Pop Festival appearance significantly broadened his American audience.
- Founded the Kinnara School of Music in Bombay in 1962 and in Los Angeles in 1967.
- Received numerous awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
Notable Works
Discography
| Album Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Three Ragas | 1956 |
| India's Most Distinguished Musician in Concert | 1962 |
| West Meets East | 1967 |
| Concert for Bangladesh | 1971 |
| Passages (with Philip Glass) | 1990 |
| Full Circle: Carnegie Hall 2000 | 2001 |
Film Scores
- Apu Trilogy (Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Apur Sansar) (1955-1959)
- Gandhi (1982)
Legacy and Impact
Ravi Shankar played a crucial role in introducing Indian classical music to a global audience. His collaborations with Western musicians and his innovative approach to composition bridged cultural divides and inspired generations of artists. He remains a towering figure in 20th-century music and a key ambassador for Indian culture.