MUMBAI: Noted Rajasthani Kamaicha player and Padma Shri awardee Sakar Khan, an exponent of the melodious bow and string instrument Kamaicha, passed away in Jaisalmer.
Sakar Khan, resident of Hamira village of Jaisalmer, was suffering from a respiratory illness for some time.He was buried in his village in the presence of his family and several other folk musicians from across Rajasthan.
Khan, belonging to the traditional Manganiyar folk musician community of Rajasthan, was honoured with the Padma Shri in April last year, besides being awarded the Tulsi Samman by the Madhya Pradesh government in 1990. He was also conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1991.
Khan had performed with renowned American violinist Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison of The Beatles, besides appearing in numerous international performances at major festivals in the US, France, Japan and USSR, among others.
His performances of Raga Bhairavi and Raga Kalyan on the Kamaicha have found place in the ethnomusicology archives of Smithsonian Folkways, the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution, the national museum of the United States.
Khan learned to play the Kamaicha from his father Chunar Khan, considered a legend among the folk musicians of the state. His sons Ghewar Khan and Dara Khan are also accomplished exponents of the instrument.
His last studio recorded album, ‘At Home: Sakar Khan’ was released in September last year.