- Bismillah Khan , often referred to by the honorific title Ustad, was an Indian musician credited with popularizing the Shehnai, a subcontinental wind instrument of the oboe class. While the Shehnai had long held importance as a folk instrument played primarily during traditional ceremonies, Khan is credited with elevating its status and bringing it to the concert stage.
- He was awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001, becoming the third classical musician after M. S. Subbulakshmi and Ravi Shankar to be accorded this distinction.
- Khan was born in a family of traditional Muslim musicians in Bhirung Raut Ki Gali, Dumraon, in what is now the eastern state of Bihar, as the second son of Paigambar Baksh Khan and Mitthan.
- Khan was perhaps single-handedly responsible for making the shehnai a famous classical instrument. He brought the shehnai to the center stage of Indian music with his concert in the Calcutta All India Music Conference in 1937. He was credited with having the almost monopoly over the instrument as he and the shehnai are almost synonyms.
- Khan is one of the finest musicians in post-independent Indian classical music and one of the best examples of Hindu-Muslim unity in India. He played the shehnai to audiences across the world. He was known to be so devoted to his art form that he referred to shehnai as his begum (wife in Urdu) after his wife died. On his death, as an honour, his shehnai was buried with him. He was known for his vision of spreading peace and love through music.
- Bharat Ratna (2001)
- Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi (1994).
- Talar Mausiquee from Republic of Iran (1992).
- Padma Vibhushan (1980)
- Padma Bhushan (1968)
- Padma Shri (1961)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1956)
- Tansen Award by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh.
- Three medals in All India Music Conference, Calcutta (1937)
- "Best Performer" in All India Music Conference, Allahabad (1930)
RECOGNITIONS
- Bismillah Khan had honorary doctorates from
-Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
-Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan - The Government of India declared a day of national mourning on his death. His body along with a Shehnai was buried at Fatemain burial ground of old Varanasi under a neem tree with 21-gun salute from Indian Army.
