Keeping the flame of
a musical lineage aliveGhulam Hasan Khan
"As a kid I dreamed of becoming a cricketer. But with age, I realized my destiny lay in music. It has always been in our veins," says Ghulam Hasan Khan—the musical heir of the 200-year-old Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana.
From the age of 6, until now, the 25-year-old Hindustani vocalist has been striving hard to master and preserve his musical legacy. He attributes his musical success to the tutelage of a number of maestros, the first among them being his grandfather, Padma Shri awardee Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan.
"My grandfather began to steer me toward Hindustani Classical music when I was just 6 years old. He was my mentor, guiding me through years of hard work and persistent discipline. Even as a child, he would make me practice for more than 6 hours every day. He was strict, but now I reap the benefits of it all," adds Ghulam Hasan Khan who debuted in 2007 with a riveting performance.
Though his stellar musical lineage helped Ghulam Hasan in the initial years of his career, the challenges began to surface after the death of his grandfather.
"When he was alive, everything came to me on a platter. As his student and his grandson, I would be able to perform alongside him and it also helped me build a strong network of influential musicians. His presence not only ensured more access and opportunities, but also gave me confidence. All of that, however, began to slowly wane after he passed away. For the first time, I was truly on my own and getting the right concerts and platforms to showcase my talent had now become a challenge," says Ghulam Hasan.
It was at this point that he came across a unique platform, HCL Digital Concerts, that helped open numerous doors of opportunities. Ghulam Hasan says that a platform like this has not only bridged the gap between the masses and Indian classical music but has also created a great opportunity for young talent to shine.
HCL Digital Concerts is a platform meant to identify aspiring musicians and provide them with opportunities to showcase their talent through digital as well as physical music concerts
Ghulam Hasan recalls one of the most memorable and impactful moments in his life, "My big moment was when a renowned Delhi based music critic took notice of me and wrote extremely kind and encouraging words on my work for a prominent English daily. It was and will always be an overwhelming moment."
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