Pt. Ravi Shankar, the legendary sitarist and composer is India's most esteemed musical Ambassador and a singular phenomenon in the classical music worlds of East and West. As a performer, composer, teacher and writer, he has done more for Indian music than any other musician. He is well known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West. This however, he did only after long years of dedicated study under his illustrious guru Baba Allaudin Khan and after making a name for himself in India.
He collaborated with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Alla Rakha to introduce Indian music to the west in the 60's. He then successfully collaborated with many western musicians including George Harrison of Beatles. Apart from concerts, he has conducted orchestras and scored music for many films including Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali. He has received many awards and honours from his own country and from all over the world, including fourteen doctorates, the Padma Vibhushan, Desikottam, the Magsaysay Award from Manila, two Grammy's, the Fukuoka grand Prize from Japan, the Crystal award from Davos, with the title 'Global Ambassador' to name some. In 1986 he was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Pt. Ravi Shankar composed music for a handful of films. These are:
1. Neechan Nagar 1946
2. Dharti Ke Laal 1946
3. Anuraha 1960
4. Godaan 1963
5. Meera 1979
6. Gandhi 1983
