Who is Ustad Sardar Khan?
Ustad Sardar Khan is a South Asian classical music artist known for Qawwal Bacha / Delhi, Khayal, Vocal. Stream 2 recordings on Saarey Music.
Ustad Sardar Khan (1888 - 1963) is the Ustad of Ustads in the Pak-Indo subcontinent. He is the grandson of the legendary Mian Taan Rus Khan and the son of Mian Taan Rus Khan’s younger son Ustad Umrao Khan, from whom he received his primary music education. He also learnt from his cousin Ustad Abdul Rahim Khan who is the son of Ustad Ghulam Khan, the older son of Mian Taan Rus Khan. Ustad Sardar Khan was the leading exponent of the Qawwal Bacha/Delhi gharana in Pakistan. He was considered an undisputed maestro by all the gharanas of the khayal genre.
Ustad Sardar Khan’s singing is characterized by the use of exquisite use of shurtis. He started singing with his father at a young age and regularly toured British India. In 1942, he immigrated to Lahore and remained there for the rest of his life where he sang and taught. Among his many students, his notable students include Feroze Nizami, Khurshid Begum, Saleem Iqbal, Alamgir, Mirza Nasir and the founder of the All Pakistan Music Conference, Mr. Hayat Ahmed Khan.
Ustad Naseer ud Din Saami narrates Ustad Sardar Khan’s trip to Karachi in 1958 where in two separate gatherings, his singing reduced the audience to tears – such was the power of his singing.
From 1960 – 1963 Ustad Naseer ud Din Saami, the current flag bearer of the Qawwal Bacha/Delhi Gharana also learnt from him. This was arranged by Ustad Saami’s teacher, Ustad Raziuddin Khan who was the nephew of Ustad Sardar Khan.
In 1963, one day before his passing on 19th Ramzan at the age of 75, he sang Raag Hussaini Kanra on Radio Lahore. Ustad Raziuddin Khan took him to Karachi after his passing where he is buried. His son M. Ibrahim Khan did not continue in the singing tradition of his father and Gharana.
