Sabir Khan

Sabir Khan (born 26 January 1987, Jodhpur, Rajasthan) is an Indian classical sarangi player associated with the Sikar gharana. He is the son of Padma Bhushan awardee Sultan Khan and represents the ninth generation of a hereditary lineage of sarangi musicians.

He received his initial training from his father and from his uncle, Ustad Nasir Khan. His great-grandfather, Ustad Azim Khan Sahab, served as a court musician in Sikar, Rajasthan. Sabir Khan’s musical grounding is therefore rooted in a long-standing family tradition of sarangi performance.

Sabir Khan was introduced to music at an early age. By six, he was already exposed to the sarangi tradition through his grandfather, Ustad Gulab Khan. His training emphasized both sur (intonation) and laya (rhythmic precision), elements that remain central to his performance style.

As a disciple within his own family lineage, he absorbed the repertoire and stylistic features of the Sikar school, particularly as shaped in the twentieth century by his father, Ustad Sultan Khan."

Sabir Khan performs both as a soloist and as an accompanist. He has appeared in concert alongside leading percussionists, including

• Zakir Hussain
• Kumar Bose
• Anindo Chatterjee

He has also accompanied vocalists such as Ustad Ghulam Ali, Talat Aziz, and Asha Bhosle. His repertoire includes traditional khayal-based ragas such as Darbari, Bhairav, Maru Bihag, Shivranjani, and Saraswati, presented in both solo recitals and collaborative settings.

In addition to classical concerts, Sabir Khan has participated in fusion and cross-genre collaborations, including projects with international artists and festival appearances such as the Ustad Abdul Latif Khansahib Festival in Bhopal.

Sabir Khan has contributed sarangi performances to several feature films, including:

• Chameli
• Rog
• Dor
• Anwar
• Saawariya
• Jodhaa Akbar
• Amma

He has also participated in studio and televised performances, including an episode featuring A. R. Rahman and Shreya Ghoshal for MTV Unplugged.

Sabir Khan is regarded as part of the contemporary generation of sarangi players carrying forward hereditary gharana traditions while engaging in concert, recording, and collaborative platforms. His playing reflects a balance of melodic clarity and rhythmic control, shaped by sustained training within the Sikar lineage.

He continues to perform in classical recitals, accompaniment settings, and recording projects in India and internationally.