Vasant Rai Biography 
Vasant Rai was an Indian musician better known as a sarod player. Rai was the last student of Allauddin Khan, doyen of Hindustani music and the first recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime contribution to Indian music. He died in his New York apartment shortly after a Carnegie Hall performance. He was only 43 then. Vasant Rai was one of the world's most acclaimed masters of Indian music. His son Satyam is an accomplished sarod player, and his daughter Sangita a Kathak dancer.
Rai was born in 1942 at Unjha, Gujarat. He started vocal training at age seven who was guided by his father, Govindji Brahmbhatt. He also learnt instrumental music with his elder brother, Kantilal. He learnt sitar, violin, and flute and his first public performance happened at the age of 11. In the teens he moved to New York where he finally settled. He lived mainly in the Greenwich Village area and also for a short time at the Chelsea Hotel.
In 1958 Vasant became the disciple of Ustad Allauddin Khan after accumulating 13 years of music experience. He learnt sarod from Ustad staying with him for 8 long years. Later he taught at the renowned master's famed Music College in Maihar and during the era of 1960’s, he gave several memorable performances. In 1972, Vasant became a visiting professor of music at Columbia University in New York. He founded the Alam School of Indian Classical Music in New York and taught sarod, sitar, flute, violin, guitar, and vocal training. Vasant experimented with the sur-guitar, a combination of guitar and sarod during the last phase of his life. He passed away in the year 1985.
Published: N/A
Updated: February 12, 2014
