Pandit Ravi Shankar

Pandit Ravi Shankar was a sitar player and musician. Ravi Shankar is counted among the famous musicians of the world. He has a special contribution in introducing Indian classical music to the western world. His achievement in music can be gauged from the fact that he is a 5-time Grammy Award winner.

Pandit Ravi Shankar was born on April 7, 1920 in Banaras. Hemangini Devi and Shyam Shankar Chaudhary were his parents. His father was originally from Jessore district, East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Shyam Shankar Chaudhary was a lawyer and politician. Besides, he was also the Diwan of Rajasthan.

Ravi Shankar’s childhood name was Rabindra Shankar Chaudhary, which he later changed to Ravi Shankar. Ravi Shankar received his early musical education from his elder brother Uday Shankar. Uday Shankar was a choreographer/dancer. Before learning sitar, Ravi was a dancer. He was a part of his brother’s dance group since the age of 10. Pandit Ravi Shankar started learning sitar from Ustad Alauddin Khan. For this he went to Maihar. He first married his guru’s daughter Annapurna Devi. Ravi Shankar and Annapurna separated after 20 years.

Pandit Ravi Shankar demonstrated his sitar playing in the country and abroad. During this time he shared the stage with many internationally renowned artists. He performed with legendary artists like George Harrison of the famous music group The Beatles, composer Philip Glass, composer Zubin Mehta, Ustad Alla Rakha, etc.

His fame in America can be gauged from the fact that Ravi Shankar, Harrison, and members of the touring band received an invitation to visit the White House at the invitation of John Gardner Ford, son of US President Gerald Ford.

Award

Pandit Ravi Shankar was decorated with many awards and honors at national and international level. Based on the information received from Wikipedia, he was honored with many decorations which include Bharat Ratna and Grammy Award.

Honors given by the Government of India

• Bharat Ratna (1999)
• Padma Vibhushan (1981)
• Padma Bhushan (1967)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1962)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1975)
• Kalidas Samman from the Government of Madhya Pradesh (1987–88)

Other government and academic honors

• Ramon Magsaysay Award (1992)
• Commander of the Legion of Honor of France (2000)
• Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) (2001) for “services to music”
• Honorary degrees from universities in India and the United States.
• Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
• Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Melbourne, Australia (2010)

Art Award

• Fellowship from the John D. Rockefeller Third Fund in 1964
• 1957 Silver Bear Exceptional Award of the Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival (for composing music for the film Kabuliwala)
• UNESCO International Music Council (1975)
• Fukuoka Asian Culture Award (1991)
• Imperial Premium for Music from the Japan Art Association (1997)
• Polar Music Award (1998)
• five grammy awards
• 1967: Best Chamber Music Performance – West Meets East (with Yehudi Menuhin)
• 1973: Album of the Year – The Concert for Bangladesh (with George Harrison)
• 2002: Best World Music Album – Full Circle: Carnegie Hall 2000
• 2013: Best World Music Album – The Living Room Sessions
• Received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards
• Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for Gandhi with George Fenton.
• Posthumous nomination at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for his album “The Living Room Sessions Part 2”.
• First recipient of the Tagore Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cultural harmony and universal values (2013; posthumous)

Bharat Ratna Award List

To Read This Article In Hindi- https://hindi.ultranewstv.com/personality/pandit-ravi-shankar/