I Feel So Blessed That I Was Born Into a Family of Great Musicians - Nabeel Khan

Today when I look back and I feel so blessed that I was born into a family of great musicians and that my parents always made sure I did Riyaz properly. I feel overwhelmed that I got the chance to learn from the Samrat of Sarangi, Ustad Sabri Khan Saheb

Tell us more about your background and journey

I hail from the Moradabad Gharana of Sarangi players. When I was 7 years old my grandfather Padma Bhushan awardee Ustad Sabri Khan Saheb took me under his tutelage. Growing up I had always had music around being played and being sung. Many students would come and take classes of Indian classical music with my father. Both the sides of my family for generations have been musically oriented. 

But I remember as a child I really wanted to become a cricketer and not a Sarangi player. Over time my father made me understand the importance of taking up an art whose master, fortunately, happens to be my grandfather fortunately. And then even I understood the multifold benefits of becoming an artist and throughout my school life tried to balance my Riyaz and studies.

When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start playing the sarangi?

I gave my first performance on stage in Little Theatre Group, New Delhi when I eight years old. It was very interesting to play this rare and exquisite instrument in school and on various other stages when nobody else of my age knew how to play this. Over the years this encouraged me to continue more diligently learning this art from my grandfather. 

Today when I look back and I feel so blessed that I was born into a family of great musicians and that my parents always made sure I did Riyaz properly. I feel overwhelmed that I got the chance to learn from the Samrat of Sarangi, Ustad Sabri Khan Saheb.

Thus far, my endeavours to spread the knowledge about Indian classical music and to encourage more people to learn Sarangi have taken me across the globe. Thanks to almighty I have been able to do multiple International tours from European Nations to the Middle East to many places in India. I feel that I should motivate as many people as I can to understand the beauty and the benefits of learning Indian classical music.

Which musicians do you admire?

First off on the list of musicians that I admire is my grandfather Lt Padma Bhushan awardee Ustad Sabri Khan Saheb. He is my ideal and I desire to become a person and a musician like him. 

Next, I ardently admire Ustad Zakir Hussain. Since childhood, I have been fascinated and amazed by his skills and the grace and humility with which he moves ahead

Which is your favourite book and why?

I would say that my favourite book is ‘Wings of fire’ by our former President APJ Abdul Kalam. As a teenager when I read for the first time, I instantly felt that the message that he wants to convey to the youth is exactly the enthusiasm which is required to tap the untapped potential of millions of young Indians. 

The message in the book is so clear and to the point that it is never much of an effort to implement the teachings from the book.


Interviewed by - Ashwarya Jha