Vilayat Khan was one of the most important virtuosos of the sitar and a leading figure in twentieth-century Indian classical music. He was born on August 28, 1928, in Gouripur, in what was then East Bengal and is now Bangladesh, into a family with a rich musical tradition. His father was the renowned sitarist Enayat Khan, while his grandfather was Imdad Khan, the founder of the Imdadkhani gharana musical tradition. He lost his father at a very young age and continued his musical training within his family.
At just eight years old, he made his first recording. He became renowned for developing *gayaki ang*, a technique that seeks to make the sitar imitate the expressiveness and melodic nuances of the human voice. Through his distinctive playing style, he greatly expanded the expressive possibilities of the instrument and influenced generations of musicians. His career lasted more than six decades, and he performed throughout India and around the world, while also composing music for the cinema.
His personal life was equally intense. He married twice and had four children, several of whom continued the family's musical tradition. He was known for his strong and often difficult personality, his elegance, independence, and uncompromising attitude toward his art. His relationship with his brother Imrat Khan became particularly difficult, despite their important musical collaboration during their younger years.
He declined several important state honours from India, maintaining his artistic independence. He died in Mumbai on March 13, 2004, leaving behind one of the most significant legacies in the history of the sitar.
