Ustad Allauddin Khan,widely known as Baba (father) is a distinguished, legendary musician of India who cultivated, elevated & transcended the Instrumental faculty of North Indian Classical Music (NICM) during the Twentieth Century. He could perform almost all types of musical instruments including percussions & was also an expert in Western Classical Music & its Staff Notation System, that is lacking in the Indian Classical Music. Baba principally expertised in Sarod, but also used to execute stage performances on Rabab, Sursringar, Violin & Tabla. He has his musical lineage with the Senia Gharana initiated by the Great Mian Taan Sen. Baba, after having been exposed to the treasures of Senia Gharana, applied his mind to refine & elevate it. In this effort, he invented many new musical instruments & formulated new Raags for proper exposition of the Styles & Treasures of the Senia Gharana. Baba, though did not have any formal education, alike Rabindra Nath Tagore, had a scientific mind, & negotiated music with a critical, but receptive attitude. Accordingly, He contributed for the development & progression of Indian Classical Music among subsequent generations . He was an excellent Teacher too, & could shape a Mediocre into an Excellent, & an Excellent into a Maestro. His disciples include Smt. Annapurna Debi (daughter), Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (son), Pandit Ravishankar (son-in-law), Pandit Jotin Bhattacharya (His Secretary), Ustad Bahadur Khan (nephew), Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Smt. Sharan Rani, Pandit Pannalal Ghosh, Timir Baran Bhattacharya a few to mention. He has been honoured for his contribution & conferred with awards Sangeet Natak Academy (1952), Padma Bhushan (1958), Desikottam (1964), Padma Bibhushan (1971) & many others.
