A tribute to the Padma Shri maestro from Jammu on his 25th death anniversary — 3 February 2026
By Ravi Rohmetra
Padma Shri Ustad Allah Rakha Khan was a legendary tabla player and one of the greatest maestros of Hindustani classical music. He was born in Phagwal village of Jammu and went on to become a global ambassador of Indian rhythm.
Jammu, the City of Temples, is widely known as a pious land where saints and peers were either born or made it their karmabhoomi. At the same time, this land has also produced many writers, artists, and litterateurs who have earned national and international acclaim and brought laurels to the region. They continue to inspire millions worldwide. Whenever Hindustani classical music is discussed, a few towering names come to mind who helped this sacred land gain global recognition. Among them stands one of the brightest — Ustad Allah Rakha Khan.
Ustad Allah Rakha Khan, the country’s leading tabla exponent, was born on 29 April 1919 in Phagwal village of District Samba, Jammu, into a Punjabi gharana family. His mother tongue was Dogri. He became fascinated with the sound and rhythm of the tabla at the age of 12 while staying with his uncle in Gurdaspur. Deeply influenced by the instrument, he ran away from home in his teens and became a disciple of Mian Kader Baksh of the Punjab gharana, who formally initiated him into the world of music. He also studied vocal music and raag vidya under Ashiq Ali Khan of the Patiala gharana.
His regimen of riyaaz (practice) and dedication was legendary — long, disciplined hours that later shaped his unmatched command over rhythm. He began his professional career as a staff artist at All India Radio, Mumbai, in 1940, and also composed music for a few Hindi films between 1943 and 1948.
In 1958, Ustad Allah Rakha Khan made his first international stage appearance in Japan with Pandit Ravi Shankar. Their jugalbandi — Ravi Shankar on sitar and Allah Rakha on tabla — created a rare musical blend and earned worldwide fame at a time when global audiences were just beginning to discover Indian classical music. Their later performances, including the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and the Woodstock Festival in 1969, introduced classical Indian music to large Western audiences.
In Mumbai, he trained students in the intricate finger techniques of tabla at the Ustad Allah Rakha Khan Institute of Music at Shivaji Park. He was married to Bavi Begum and had three sons — tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, Fazal Qureshi, and Taufiq Qureshi — and a daughter, Razia, whose death preceded his by less than 24 hours.
He performed as an accompanist to many great masters, including Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Allauddin Khan, Vilayat Khan, Vasant Rai, Ali Akbar Khan, and most notably Pandit Ravi Shankar. As Ravi Shankar’s chief accompanist during the peak years of the 1960s, he captivated Western audiences with his percussive brilliance. He was not only an exceptionally sensitive accompanist with flawless timing but also a powerful soloist, master improviser, prolific composer, and electric showman.
He mentored several distinguished disciples, including Sankha Chatterjee, Yogesh Samsi, Prafulla Athalye, Aditya Kalyanpur, Anuradha Pal, Nishikant Barodekar, Uday Ramdas, Shyam Kane, and his sons Taufiq and Fazal Qureshi. His eldest son, Zakir Hussain, went on to become one of the most celebrated tabla players in the world.
Affectionately known as Abba Ji among his disciples, Ustad Allah Rakha Khan played a crucial role in elevating the tabla to the status of a respected solo instrument. He also helped bridge the gap between Carnatic and Hindustani traditions by collaborating with renowned musicians from both systems. Leading American rock percussionists, including Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, admired him and studied his technique. Hart once remarked, “Allah Rakha is the Einstein, the Picasso — the highest form of rhythmic development on this planet.” Allah Rakha also collaborated with jazz drummer Buddy Rich on their 1968 album Rich à la Rakha.
He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1977 and received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1982 for his immense contribution to Indian music.
Ustad Allah Rakha Khan passed away due to a heart attack on 3 February 2000 at the age of 81 at his Nepean Sea Road residence in Mumbai, reportedly following the shock of his daughter Razia’s death a day earlier. He is survived by his sons and daughter. The people of Jammu and Kashmir take immense pride in this highly accomplished maestro.
Music lovers in Jammu still fondly remember a memorable performance by Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and tabla wizard Allah Rakha at Abhinav Theatre, Jammu. On that occasion, Allah Rakha recalled the thunderous applause they received during their concert tour in the United States, remarking with pride that such appreciation was natural because “two Dogra music artists were performing.”
(Ravi Rohmetra is social activist and a freelance writer and can be reached at M.No: 9419652999; E-mail: [email protected])
