A Memorial Meeting is being organised in the fond memory of Rudra Veena exponent Ustad Asad Ali Khan, one of the last existing advocate of the Khandarbani dhrupad school, who passed away on June 14, 2011. The Meeting would be held on 2nd July 2011, in HLL Auditorium, Modern School, Barakhamba Road at 5.30 pm. Ustad Bahauddin Dagar would give a Rudra Veena Recital on this occasion, accompanied by Pandit Dalchand Sharma on Pakhawaj. Eminent people would be paying tributes to the great maestro. The meeting is open to all from the society.

Ustad Asad Ali Khan was one of the few active masters of the Rudra Veena (or Been). He represented the Beenkar Gharana of Jaipur. He was also the last surviving exponent of the Khandarbani – one of the four traditional schools (banis) of dhrupad.

His family traditions go back seven generations into the 18th century when his ancestors were royal musicians in the princely court of Jaipur. His great grandfather Ustad Rajab Ali Khan and his grandfather Ustad Musharraf Khan were famous been players in the court of Alwar. In the early decades of this century, his father Ustad Sadik Ali Khan moved to the court at Rampur. It was here that Asad Ali Khan began his training under his father. The training was rigorous, with Asad Ali Khan practising for upto 14 hours a day. This lasted for 15 years.

Ustad Asad Ali Khan was an undisputed master of his instrument, the Been. He had perfected command over its exacting technique and his virtuosity on this instrument was unparalleled. He was noted for the purity of his style as well as the mood of profound contemplation evoked by his music. Ustadji displayed a refined and sublime spirit that he had developed through an unstinting devotion to the music.