Google Marks Shehnai Maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan's Birthday With A Doodle

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Google today has dedicated its doodle to the 102nd birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna awardee and Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.

He was the first one to perform at the Red Fort on India's Independence Day and also on the first Republic Day ceremony on January 26, 1950. Since then, he had been playing at all the Republic Day events every year.

His grandfather gave him the name 'Bismillah', which is the Arabic word for "in the name of God".

Ustad Bismillah Khan's father was also a well-known shehnai player who used to perform in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon Estate, Bihar.

When he was six years old, he moved to Uttar Pradesh, in Varanasi, where he received his formal training under his uncle named Ali Bux 'Vilayatu', who was a shehnai player attached to the Vishwanath Temple.

He got his first name - Ustad, which means master, which was given to him as an honorary appreciation for his music, by the people.

He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001, the Padma Bhushan in1968, the Padma Vibhushan in 1980 and the Padma Shri in 1961.

He died on August 21st, 2006, at the age of 90.

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