Shafique Khan Biography 
Shafique Khan is a sitar player, musician and composer. He belongs to a family of musical tradition with six generations associated with the field of music. He performs in Dharwad Gharana of Hindustani music. Famous sitar player Rafique Khan is his twin brother, and both were born on June 30, 1968. His elder brother Chhote Rahimat Khan is also a renowned artist of the same field. Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan was his paternal grandfather, the legendary musician best remembered for adding the base octave to the sitar and also for modifying 3-string sitar to 7-string musical instruments, and still now musicians prefer to use 7-string sitars.
Shafique Rafique Khan was born on 30 June 1968 in Dharwad, Karnataka with illustrious ancestry in music. Born into a family of sitarists, he started learning sitar at the age of nine from his father. His father Ustad Abdul Karim Khan was a renowned artist. He has three brothers including Ustad Bale Khan and all are involved with sitar and music. He received training from his father and elder brothers. His uncle Ustad Dastagir Khan is a renowned artist of Gayaki Ang who was his guru as well. His style reflects the finer aspects of all his mentors and gurus.
He is a recipient of Surmani award by Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan Mumbai. Khan is fully engaged with his live concerts and has performed in almost all music concerts of the country. He has also performed in other countries. His jugalbundis with his twin brother in foreign countries have received overwhelming responses. The duo’s musicianship focuses on ‘tantra-kaari’, or string work where they use the sitar for its own qualities as an instrument. He is a ‘top-grade' artiste in All India Radio, and he regularly performs for AIR Dharwad.
Published: February 18, 2019
Updated: February 20, 2019
