Sharafat Hussain Khan

Sharafat Hussain Khan (born July 1930) was an Indian classical vocalist from the Agra Gharana (singing style).^[1][2]

Early life and background

Sharafat Hussain Khan was born at a small city called Atrauli in Uttar Pradesh in July 1930, to Liaquat Hussain Khan, a court musician in the erstwhile Jaipur State, and Alla Rakhi Beghum. From his father's side, Sharafat was a descendant of Inayet Hussain Khan (1845–1936), founder of Atrauli Gharana, and from his mother's side, of his maternal grandfather Mehboob Khan (Daras Piya). Mehboob Khan was also of the Atrauli Gharana, but his music was greatly influenced by the Rangile Gharana of his mother's family, founded by Ramzan Khan (1759–1806). In early childhood, Sharafat was trained by his father. When Sharafat was only eight years old, his prodigious talent impressed the legendary Faiyaz Khan, who happened to be his maternal uncle,^[3] during one of his visits to Atrauli. The maestro, who had no sons, adopted Sharafat, and took him away forthwith to Baroda to groom him as his heir.

Career

Sharafat was only 20 when Faiyaz Khan died. Thereafter, he started studying with his maternal uncle, Ata Hussain Khan of the allied Atrauli-Rangile lineage. Soon thereafter, he acquired a third guide - his scholarly father-in-law, Vilayat Hussain Khan of the Agra lineage. Thus, like his foster-father, Sharafat Hussain came to represent a magnificent confluence of three intimately connected lineages - Agra, Atrauli, and Rangile.

While still in his 30s, Sharafat became amongst the busiest vocalists in India, and enjoyed a continuous run of success for two decades (1965–1985). He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Performing Arts Academy of Uttar Pradesh (Northern Provinces), was decorated with the Padma Shri by the President of India, and also got a Tansen Award.

In 1985, Sangeet Natak Akademi held a special ceremony to honour him shortly before he succumbed to lung cancer on 7 July 1985, at the age of 55.

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