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Ravi Shankar: Sitar Hero

Duration: 30 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 Extra

Nitin Sawhney explores the life of the Indian musician Ravi Shankar as he approaches his 90th birthday.

Ravi Shankar is one of the greatest musicians the world has ever seen. In the West his outstanding career has sometimes been overshadowed by his brief association with the Beatles but he has been performing and composing at the highest level for over 70 years. The man who first brought Indian classical music to an international audience was once compared to Mozart by the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin. But it wasn't an easy journey to success - it took an arduous process of study and practice. Fellow musician and fan Nitin Sawhney meets his hero to discuss how he did it.

With contributions from Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka, one of India's biggest music stars Zakir Hussain, George Harrison's wife Olivia, The Who's Pete Townshend and music historian Ken Hunt. Show less

Contributors

Producer:
James Hale

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