New Delhi: Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan passed away on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. The 55-year-old artist was getting treatment for prostate cancer at a hospital in Kolkata.
Ustad Rashid Khan, who had been admitted to the hospital since November 22 after suffering a brain stroke (cerebral hemorrhage) , breathed his last today at 3:45 PM. His condition had been deteriorating since this morning. He was put on ventilator support during the early hours, but despite all efforts, his condition worsened, and he passed away.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the South Kolkata hospital Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, and state ministers Arup Biswas and Indranil Sen. Standing outside the hospital, she told media that she would let his doctors speak about him first.
Later, a doctor who was treating Rashid said he contracted infections due to his long stay in the hospital. The doctor said the singer had to be put on a ventilator, and that they could not bring him back.
After the doctors announced Rashid's death, CM Mamata said: "The doctors tried (to save him)... but this is a huge loss. Rashid loved Bengal, and that’s why he chose to stay here. We will no longer be able to hear his songs again...I can't believe that Rashid is no more."
The chief minister said Khan will be given a gun salute and state honours before his last rites are performed on Wednesday.
He is survived by his wife Soma, two daughters, and a son.
Ustad Rashid Khan, a luminary in the realm of classical music, was born on July 1, 1968, in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, Rashid was an artiste of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, founded by Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan. According to reports, Rashid also trained under Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan Sahib, who was his grandfather, and from the same gharana. Rashid also received training from his uncle, a Gwalior gharana maestro, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan. Though primarily a classical musician, Rashid also sang many popular songs in fusion, Bollywood, and Tollywood movies.
Rashid Khan's vocal artistry is characterized by its emotive depth, technical brilliance, and a rare blend of tradition and innovation. His mellifluous voice has enchanted audiences worldwide, transcending cultural boundaries.
Over the years, Ustad Rashid Khan has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.