Kolkata, Jan 9 (UNI) Celebrated classical singer Ustad Rashid Khan

on Tuesday passed away at a city private hospital, official sources said.

Padmashree Khan, who was 55, was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer at the Peerless Hospital on the EM Bypass.

He was on artificial ventilation support.

His end came around 15-45 hours, hospital sources said.

He is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was on an official visit to South 24 Parganas district, returned and visited

the hospital to pay her tribute to the musical maestro.

Hospital sources said they have tried their best to restore health of

the singer since his admission following prostate cancer.

" The death of the singer is a great loss for the entire country and

the entire music fraternity. I am in a lot of pain as I still can't

believe that Rashid Khan is no more, " she said.

Khan's health deteriorated after he suffered a cerebral attack last month.

Born in Uttar Pradesh July 1, 1968, Rashid Khan, who is also the

nephew of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, received his initial training

from his maternal grand-uncle Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan.

Rashid Khan was an Indian classical musician

in the Hindustani music tradition. He belonged to the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, and was the great-grandson of gharana founder Inayat Hussain Khan.

He is married to Soma Khan.

In a story told in several versions, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi once

remarked that Rashid Khan was the "assurance for the future of Indian vocal music".

He was awarded the Padma Shri as well as the Sangeet

Natak Akademi Award in 2006.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's

third highest civilian award in 2022 by the Union Government in the

field of Art.

UNI PC SJC KK