Legendary sitar and surbahar maestro Ustad Imrat Khan has refused to accept the prestigious Padma Shri award offered by the Indian government, citing the honour comes decades too late. In a letter written to the Indian Consulate in Chicago, he said, "At the last moments of my life at the age of 82, the Government of India has chosen to recognise me with the Padma Shri award. While I acknowledge the good intentions behind this move; I have mixed feelings about it without holding any prejudice, to the purpose of this award which comes perhaps many decades late- while my juniors receive the Padma Bhushan."
With a pedigree tracing back to court musicians of Mughal rulers, Ustad Imrat Khan has enjoyed years of music and is touted to be one of the best players of the surbahar- a deep-toned, sitar-like stringed instrument. Further writing in his letter, Khan said, "I do not expect at this moment in my life that my devotion and contributions be diminished to a level lower than my followers, students and sons - by age or reputation. I have never compromised in my life. Why should I compromise now when this award presented to me is not parallel to my worldwide reputation and contributions in the name of the pure arts and culture of India? This is not a matter of self-aggrandizement but an issue of propriety towards the trust, faith and recognition bestowed on me by the greatest masters of the golden era of India classical music. It is also about cherishing this legacy."
While the refusal has garnered mixed responses, sitarist Amita Dalal seconds his decision, explaining why a Padma Shri for someone his age does not suffice. "It is not a question of refusing, look at the age factor. People who are junior to him, who were not even born, they got Padma Shri. Now, maybe he is not performing as much as he did in those times, but at his age, to start with a Padma Shri? No! They should have given him straight Padma Bhushan. Taking into account, what he has done with Surbahar, Sitar, performances he has done in his time, he should have been given a respectful honour. So if you start with Padma Shri, when his juniors have already received it, so what do you do with his maturity and his vision and his experience? What recognition is this? I think he did the right thing."
Music composer Amit Thakkar although, had a more passive response to the turn down. "An honour like this, is being given to your art," he said. "It is your art that is being revered. Be it the government, or the society, their lack of timely consideration to honour you, is their fault and is not worth forgiving. However, if you put yourself- your ego, your self-respect, before your work, only then will a person refuse such an award. If their art comes first, then what does it matter when it was recognised? It also needs to be said that this is a personal matter and if Imratji refused to accept the honour, then it is his decision."
