Rashid Khan, Music Maestro, Passes Away After Prolonged Battle With Cancer

Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan passed away on Tuesday, January 9. He was reportedly admitted at a hospital in Kolkata and was battling prostate cancer for a long time. He was 55.

“We tried our best but failed. He passed away at around 3:45 PM,” an official of the hospital where Khan was admitted told Hindustan Times.

West Bengal Chief Minister mourned the loss of Rashid Khan and said, “This is a great loss for the entire country and the entire music fraternity. I am in a lot of pain as I still can’t believe that Rashid Khan is no more.” She further shared that Khan will be given a gun salute and state honours before his last rites on Wednesday. “His body will be kept at a mortuary today. It will be taken to Rabindra Sadan on Wednesday where his admirers can pay him last respects,” the Chief Minister added.

Singer Harshdeep Kaur also took to her X handle and to pay tribute to the music maestro. “Extremely sad news… Ustad Rashid Khan Ji passes away… this is a huge loss to the world of music. He will always be remembered for his excellence in music and his voice will reverberate in our hearts forever (sic),” she wrote.

Rashid Khan was born in Uttar Pradesh’s Badayun Rashid Khan. He was the nephew of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan and received his initial training from his maternal grand-uncle Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan. Interestingly, Khan was just 11 years old when he delivered his debut concert and impressed everyone.

Rest in peace, Rashid Khan!