Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan

GHULAM ABBAS KHAN

An Exponent of Hindustani Classical & Ghazal Vocal

Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan is an eminent and internationally acclaimed Hindustani Classical and Ghazal Vocalist. He belongs to the prestigious family of Hindustani Classical Vocalists, the Rampur Sahaswan Gharana that owes its allegiance to the tradition of Mian Tansen.

He received his training under the worthy guidance of his father Late Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan Sahab (Padma Shri Awardee), who was also an internationally acclaimed Hindustani Classical Vocalist and Guru. Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan also happens to be the grandson of Late Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan Sahab, the very first recipient of the Padma Bhushan Award (In Hindustani Classical Vocal Category).

Gifted with a sonorous and mellifluous voice, Ghulam Abbas sings both classical and Ghazal with equal ease. In classical he specializes in Khayal style which highlights the systematic badhat of Raga, intricate and graceful sapat tanas of full three octaves. In Ghazal singing he has developed his own style which includes original compositions. He emphasizes on the aesthetic sense of poetry and composition. Apart from Khayal and Ghazal he also sings Sufi,Thumri, Dadra,, Folk, Bhajans and Geets with equal ease. Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan has been performing Hindustani Classical and Ghazal music for over 35 years now.

In 2007, he performed in a special concert held at Rashtrapati Bhawan in front of Honorable President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In 2009, he was awarded with the prestigious Senior Fellowship Award from the Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resources of India for the research in Indian Classical Vocal.

Aside from being an artist, Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan is also a devoted Guru, imparting his ancient art and carrying forward the great legacy of Rampur Sahaswan Gharana. He has trained many students in Indian Classical Music and Ghazal Gayaki in India and abroad. Many a times he has been invited exclusively for Lecture Demonstrations in different parts of the world.

He was invited by the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Oman to perform Ghazal and Hindustani Classical Music in 2003. In 2006, He was invited by the Government of Mauritius to perform for the 100th Birth Anniversary of Sir Abdul Razzak Mohamed. Under the sponsorship of ICCR, he was invited by the Indian Embassy in Bhutan to perform for the Royalty of Bhutan on the occasion of Republic Day of India in 2015.

He has composed and performed works of the major Classical poets of Urdu Ghazal like Mirza Ghalib, Meer Taqi ‘Meer’, Siraj Aurangabadi, Ustad Zauq, Hakim Momin Khan ‘Momin’, Daagh Dehelvi, Hasrat Mohani, Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad ‘Faiz’, Firaq Gorakhpuri and many others.

In 1991, he composed and sang for a documentary based on the life of Maulana Hasrat Mohani for Doordarshan channel.

In 2008, he composed and performed for a musical based on the life of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, titled ‘Sheeshon Ka Maseeha’ at Nehru Center and ISKON . While in 2009, he composed and sang for a musical based on the life of Allama Iqbal, titled ‘Naya Shivala’ at Nehru Center and ISKON.

From 2013, he has been involved in a musical called ‘Ghalib Rang’ based on selected letters from the life of Mirza Ghalib. He has composed and sung for this musical which has already done many successful shows in India and abroad. This musical is directed by Janab Iqbal Niyazi, narrated by Tom Alter, Deepti Naval and Juhi Babbar Soni. In 2015, this play had a very successful show in Tagore Society, Singapore.

In 2014, he composed and sang 27 Ghazals of Classical Urdu poets, especially the Classical poets of the Deccan for DD Urdu Channel in a serial titled ‘Ghazal Usne Chhedi Hai’.

Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan is not only a vocalist and composer but also a talented Urdu poet. He has released a compilation of his Urdu Ghazals and Nazms titled ‘Badalte Mausam ki Khushboo’ (2013) published by Takhleeqkar Publishers, Delhi.

In 2017 he received Global Achievement Award for his contribution in Indian Classical Music internationally.

In 2018 he received the prestigious Dr. Radha Krishnan Award for his services to Indian Classical Music as a dedicated performer and Guru. In the same year he also received Mahatma Gandhi Legacy International Award for his contribution to spread peace and harmony through music.

Since he belongs to the great tradition of Hindustani Classical Music, he is involved into the deep research to carry forward the legacy. He recently created few new Ragas in Hindustani Music named Mohini Bhairav, Moh Bihaag, Maandvi Todi & Viyogini which he recently recorded and premiered. He has also composed many Bandishes of Khayal, Tarana, Bandishi Sagam & Dadra.