Wahid Khan Biography 
Ustad Wahid Khan was an Indian surbahar and sitar player belonging to the prestigious Etawah (Imdadkhani) gharana of Hindustani music. His family has inherited music for the past 7 generations till the 21st century including the youngest artists being Shujaat Khan, Zila Khan, Nishat Khan, Irshad Khan, Wajahat Khan, Shafaatullah Khan, Azmat Khan and Hidayat Khan, all well-established names of Indian classical music. He was the son of Ustad Imdad Khan and brother of Ustad Enayat Khan. He was born in the legendary Etawah lineage of Hindustani classic music with the prominent figures being Ustad Sahebdad Khan and Ustad Imdad Khan who have served in the court of Mughals as court musicians. Imrat Khan and Vijayat Khan were his nephews (sons of Enayat Khan).
Ustad Wahid Khan was born in Etawah, near Agra in Uttar Pradesh. He was born to sitar maestro Ustad Imdad Khan. When he was quite young the family moved to Kolkata where they got settled later. Both he and his brother Enayat Khan were trained by their father. He was first initiated into Dhrupad, Khayal and Thumri at a younger age. Under the supervision of his father, he learnt music extensively and mastered both the Sitar and Surbahar. He also accompanied his father in live concerts in Kolkata. Now the present generation regards this musician as the greatest surbahar player of his phase of life.
When Imdad Khan moved to Indore and settled as the Court-musician of the Maharaja Holkar, both his sons accompanied him. After the death of Imdad Khan, elder brother Enayat Khan returned to Kolkata and Wahid was appointed as the new court musician. He served as court musician for 18 years and has also served as Court-musician of the Nizam of Hyderabad and Patiala. He was a regular performer of AIR and has also performed for Satyajit Ray’s international award winning film Jalsaghar.
Published: N/A
Updated: February 17, 2014
