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Vasant Rai

1942 – 1985

Indian musician

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About Vasant Rai

Lived 1942 – 1985 (aged 42–43). Vasant Rai was an Indian musician.

Vasant Rai (1942–1985) was an Indian musician who played the Indo-Afghan instrument the sarod.

Personal life and education Rai's family was born in Unjha, Gujarat. Rai was the last student of Baba Allauddin Khan, who is best known as the teacher of Ravi Shankar.

He died in his New York apartment shortly after a Carnegie Hall performance.

Career Rai had been visiting the United States since his teen years. He settled in New York City in 1969 and lived mainly in the Greenwich Village area and also for a short time at the Chelsea Hotel when he was not touring. From 1969 to 1985, he conducted the Alam School of Music in Greenwich Village. Alla Rakha, Mahapurush Mishra, Shamta Prasad and Zakir Hussain usually accompanied him on the tabla. Vasant Rai taught Indian musicians, most notable are sarodist Pradeep Barot, mandolin player Emu Desai, and sitar player Shamim Ahmed Khan. Vasant Rai's notable western musicians were Lex Hixon, Collin Walcott, and Don Cherry.

Rai had been signed exclusively by Vanguard Records from 1975 to 1982. Vasant's first commercial recording was by EMI and on the tabla was Alla Rakha.

Vasant Rai's sarod was a gift from his guru Allauddin Khan, and was made by Allauddin Khan's younger brother Ayet Ali Khan in the 1930s.

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Important facts

Born
1942, Unjha
Birth century
Died
1985, New York City
Occupation

People in Vasant Rai's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Vasant Rai's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Vasant Rai?

Indian musician (1942–1985)

When was Vasant Rai born?

Vasant Rai was born in 1942 in Unjha.

When did Vasant Rai die?

Vasant Rai died in 1985 in New York City.

What was Vasant Rai's occupation?

Vasant Rai was a musician.

What nationality was Vasant Rai?

Vasant Rai was Indian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Vasant Rai

· Wikidata: Q5678271

· DBpedia: Vasant Rai

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Vasant Rai. https://biography.guide/vasant-rai/

MLA: "Vasant Rai." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/vasant-rai/.

Chicago: "Vasant Rai." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/vasant-rai/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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