Ahmed Jan Thirakwa

Ahmed Jan Thirakwa (* 1892 in Muradabad ; † January 13, 1976 in Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh ) was an Indian tabla player. During his lifetime he was considered the most important tabla player and belonged to the Farukhabad- Gharana (teaching tradition).

Life

He was the son of sarangi player Hussain Baksh , who had three sons: Miyan Jan Khan, Ahmed Jan Khan and Mohammed Jan Khan. Ahmed Jan's maternal grandfather Kalandar Baksh and Sher Khan, the brother of Ahmad Jan's father, were regarded as respected tabla players in Muradabad in what is now the state of Uttar Pradesh at the time.

As a child, his parents sent him to Bombay with his brother Miyan Jan , where they were entrusted to Munir Khan . Ahmed Jan's apprenticeship with Munir Khan lasted for more than two decades. During this time, Ahmed Jan was given the joke name "Thirakwa" by Munir Khan and stayed with him for the rest of his life. Thirakwa was considered a modest man, he was completely open to his art. He never got into arguments about music. On stage he was usually dressed in a dark silk Sherbani coat, with a black velvet topi cap, a silver cane and richly embroidered slippers.

Ahmed Jan later served almost 30 years as a court musician at the court of Rampur under the supervision of the ruler Reza Ali Khan . From 1971 he was a teacher in the "National Center of Performing Arts" in Bombay.

Ahmed Jan Thirakwa received a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1954 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1970.

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personal data
SURNAME	Thirakwa, Ahmed Jan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Thirakwa, Ahmedjan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Indian musician (tabla)
DATE OF BIRTH	1892
PLACE OF BIRTH	Muradabad
DATE OF DEATH	January 13, 1976
Place of death	Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh