By IANS,
Jaisalmer: Sakar Khan, a Padma Shri recipient who played the traditional Rajasthani Kamaycha instrument, died here Saturday. He was 75.
The septuagenarian passed away at his home in Hamira village near Jaisalmer, around 1.30 a.m. His sons Ghewar, Firoze and Darra were with him at the time of his death, a press release said.
Sakar Khan belonged to the Manganiyar community, a caste of hereditary Muslim musicians who live in this desert state. He learned to play the instrument from his father Chunar Khan, who was a legend in his community.
He was conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1991, and recorded his first and last album, “At Home: Sakar Khan” in September 2012.
He had also performed with American violist Yehudi Menuhin and lead guitarist of the Beatles band, George Harrison.
The roots of kamaycha go back to the eighth century. It is a bowed instrument with a goat skin sound box and three main gut strings with 14 subsidiary metal strings.