**** "No frills needed; just great playing from an Indian master" - Simon Broughton, Songlines

A living legend and the undisputed master of the sindhi sarangi - A national treasure, at 70+ Lakha Khan is perhaps the greatest exponent of the sindhi sarangi.

In 2021 Ustad Lakha Khan has been bestowed with the Padma Shri (or Padma Shree) - India's fourth highest civilian award for the arts. He is a living legend, and perhaps the greatest sindhi sarangi maestro, and a keeper of India's songbook, a voice of unity and secularism. Second to the Left is proud and honoured to work with, and represent Padma Shri Lakha Khan. Our heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the maestro for the long overdue recognition he deserves, and a big thank you to all the presenters, bookers, festivals, friends and well-wishers who have been part of this decade-long journey. Shukriya, Dhanyavad!

Born in the village of Raneri in Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians from the Manganiyar community, he was trained at an early age in rendering the compositions of the Multan school of Manganiyars.

His first public performances were in the late 60's and 70's in India, and under the guidance of the late ethnomusicologist Komal Kothari, toured Europe, UK, Russia and Japan through the early 90's. He resumed international touring in 2013 with his first ever US tour, and now completed three US tours, and two European tours in Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. Today, Lakha Khan is one of the last remaining Manganiyars to have mastered this complex instrument and to carry forward the centuries-old musical tradition of Rajasthani and Multani folk and Sufi music.

His music is truly secular and straddles both the classical and folk domains, with a vast songbook that incorporates Meera bhajans, Sufi kalaams, popular Hindi tunes, and the ancient stories and oral histories of the region, spanning the western Indian sub-continent. He sings in over six languages including Hindi, Marwari, Sindhi, Punjabi and Multani. Bestowed with a powerful and melodious voice that perfectly compliments his instrument, Lakha Khan's music transcends boundaries and invokes a spiritual oneness in the listener. He is accompanied by his son Dane Khan on the dholak - the double headed Indian folk drum.

• Sangeet Natak Akademi award for his contribution to Rajasthani folk music, Marudhara Foundation (Kolkata) recognition
• Performed at the Edinburgh Folk Music Festival (2011), The Amarrass Desert Music Festival (2011, 2014), Sensational India Festival at the Peabody Essex Museum (2013), Old and New Dreams Festival, Chicago (2014), Europe Spring 2016 (Sweden, Denmark, Belgium)
• His albums 'At Home: Lakha Khan' (Amarrass Records, 2012) and 'Lakha Khan: Live in Nashville' (Amarrass Records, 2014) have received rave reviews by fROOTS ("Top 5 Rajasthani albums ever"), Songlines (4 Stars for both albums), The Chicago Tribune, Nashville Scene and more.
• Featured artist on ‘Mitha Bol’ (2011, Amarrass Records), nominated for 'Folk Album of the Year' at the Global Indian Music Awards 2012 Two coast-to-coast US tours in 2013 and 2014.

LINEUP:

Group Size: 3 Artists + 1 tour manager
• Lakha Khan: Sindhi Sarangi and voice
• Dane Khan: Dholak
• Ankur Malhotra: presenter