New Delhi: Another noted musician Ustad Sultan Khan has breathed his last at the age of 71 years. He passed away after succumbing to kidney failure on Sunday afternoon.

Ustad Sultan Khan was not only a noted name in the world of classical music but was also a popular voice in the world of Hindi pop music.

Born in the year 1940, Ustad Khan had worked hard in order to popularise his favourite musical instrument, the ‘Sarangi’ throughout the world. He was also a part of the fusion group – Tabla Beat Science.

A Padma Bhushan awardee in 2010, Sultan Khan’s name had started to carve a niche for itself at the age of 11 years when he performed at an all India conference. Later he collaborated with legends such as Ravi Shankar and George Harrison to make the kind of music which was classical and popular at the same time. Sultan Khan was also honoured with the Sangeet Natya Academy Award twice and the American Academy of Artists Award.

Common music lovers who were not much into the classical brand of music started to take notice of Ustad Sultan Khan due to his profound baritone.

Ustad also showed no hesitation in singing for the popular genre unlike some of the stalwarts of Indian classical music.

The album ‘Piya Basanti’ had come at a time when Indi-pop was ruling the game in the Indian music market. Sultan Khan’s well trained voice penetrated the hearts of listeners with ease.

Films like ‘Maqbool’ and ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ presented Ustad Khan’s tone as something which can satiate the sufi fans as well as pop lovers.

His voice’s special qualities never got subdued due to the modern recording techniques. The album ‘Ustad and the Divas’ is a perfect example of it, where the voice excelled despite the heavy background score.

Jab We Met’s song ‘Aao Milo Chalo’ once again stamped his authority as a distinguished singer who understood the nuances of traditional and trendy singing simultaneously.

His demise has marked the end of an era which will be felt more by the general music lovers as they will never hear that golden voice again.

The ‘Sarangi’ will no longer produce the same tune; nor will any composer have the opportunity to record the Ustad’s voice, but the master will remain singing forever in our hearts.