Late Bharat-Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan and Shehnai are Synonymous. His contribuitions to Hindustani Classical Music through his Shehnai know no boundaries Ustad Bismillah Khan is the unrivalled maestro of the Shehnai. Creditruns to him for elevating the Shehnai to the Classical Concert level. Born at Dumraon on 21st March 1916 in the state of Bihar, Ustad Bismillah Khan settled in Varanasi, because his uncle and tutor Ali Baksh was attached to the Kashi Vishwanath temple located in Varanasi Todate, Bismillah Khan continues to be attached to the temple.
He gave his first concert at the age of 14 in Lucknow. He was recognized and accepted as an exponent of classical music in the Calcutta conference in 1937. In the beginning of his life, he would play along with his brother Shamshuddin Khan. He lost his brother early in life and stopped playing for sometime. It took him great determination and struggle to get back to playing alone. Ustad Bismillah Khan has won several awards like the Sangeet Natak Academy Award as early as in 1956, Padmashree in 1961, the Shehnai Chakravarti Award and the Padmabhshan in 1968 and finally the Padma Bibhushan in 1980.and the Highest Civilian-award of India Bharat-Ratna in 2001.
He has cut the highest number of LP records , cassettes, videos and CDs in India and abroad.