Lakha Khan
Lakha Khan Mangniyar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lakha Khan receiving Padma Shri | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Lakha Khan 1945 (age 80–81) Raneri, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India |
| Genres | Rajasthani folk music, Sufi music |
| Occupations | Musician, vocalist |
| Instruments | Sindhi sarangi, vocals |
Lakha Khan Mangniyar (born c. 1945) is an Indian folk musician, sarangi player, and vocalist, from Rajasthan. He is widely regarded as one of the last remaining masters of the Sindhi sarangi, an instrument relevant in the musical traditions of the Manganiyar community. Khan has played a significant role in preserving and promoting Rajasthani folk and Sufi music at both national and international levels.
Early life and training
[edit]Lakha Khan was born in the village of Raneri in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, into a family of traditional Manganiyar musicians. He began learning music at a young age, initially studying vocal traditions before training in the Sindhi sarangi. By the age of 12, he had started performing publicly.[1][2][3]
Career
[edit]Khan’s early career was influenced by the ethnomusicologist Komal Kothari[4]. He later toured internationally, introducing the Sindhi sarangi and Rajasthani folk repertoire to audiences abroad[5], including at WOMEX in Finland and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark.[6]
Khan’s repertoire contains Rajasthani folk music, devotional bhajans, and Sufi music,[7] often performed in multiple languages such as Marwari, Sindhi, Hindi, and Punjabi.[8] He frequently collaborates with his son, Dane Khan, who accompanies him on the dholak.[9]
Awards
[edit]Lakha Khan has been honored with several national and state-level awards, including:
- Padma Shri (2021) in recognition of his lifelong dedication to the folk arts.[10][11]
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2008) for his excellence in folk traditions.[12]
- Marudhara Foundation Award: for his work in preserving Rajasthani heritage.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "सारंगी वादक लखां खान, जोधपूर के राणेरी के निवासी, पद्म श्री से अलंकृत". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ Rahman, Azera Parveen (9 December 2021). "Lakha Khan: 'Music is the reason I am here today'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "राजस्थानी लोक संगीत को पूरी दुनिया में पहचान दिलाने वाले लाखा खान को पदमश्री सम्मान". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "Rajasthan's dying folk music finds a voice". The New Indian Express. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "Lakha Khan: India's traditional folk historian who sings of Muslims and Hindus". The Independent. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Sarangi maestro Lakha Khan to perform at Denmark's Roskilde Festival". The Indian Express. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Rajasthani folk music: Praising Krishna to the tune of Sindhi Sarangi". Hindustan Times. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "In pursuit of the link between blues and Indian folk". The Indian Express. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "Introducing... Lakha Khan". Songlines. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ^ "सारंगी वादक लखा खान को पद्मश्री पुरस्कार के लिए नामित किया गया". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "लोक संगीत को दुनिया में पहुंचाने वाले लखां खान अब कहलाएंगे पद्म श्री". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "पद्मश्री पुरस्कार से सम्मानित सारंगी वादक लखां खान की कहानी". ETV Bharat (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Padma Awards 2021: राजस्थान के तीन सपूतों को मिला सम्मान". Patrika (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.