Ravi Shankar Dies: Norah Jones' Father, Renowned Indian Sitarist Lauded as 'Godfather of World Music,' Dies at 92

Pandit Ravi Shankar, the renowned Indian sitarist lauded by George Harrison as the "Godfather of World Music," died on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at the age of 92. Shankar, the father of popular jazz musician Nora Jones, became a musical icon as he toured with the Beatles and helped to organize the first ever rock benefit concert. Shankar, who helped to connect Western culture and music with the traditional sounds of Indian ragas, died near his Southern California home on Tuesday surrounded by his loving wife Sukanya Rajan and daughter Anoushka. Shankar's foundation "Nada Brahma - Sound is God" issued a statement saying that the spiritual music legend had been suffering upper respiratory and heart problems for quite some time and had undergone heart-valve replacement surgery just last week.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also confirmed Shankar's death, calling him a "national treasure."

According to popular santoor player Shivkumar Sharma who performed with Shankar, "He was legend of legends. Indian classical was not at all known in the Western world. He was the musician who had that training ... the ability to communicate with the Western audience."

Shankar helped to pioneer the concept of rock benefit concerts with his successful 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. Shankar spent his entire life attempting to bridge the musical gap between the Western and Eastern worlds - many audiences were completely enthralled by his work and unique talent on the sitar, a plucked-string instrument. Shankar's close friendship with the Beatles' George Harrison helped him to achieve global stardom in the 1960s. With his Beatles connection, Shankar found himself performing amongst a number of other rock legends including the Mamas and the Papas, Otis Redding, and Jimi Hendrix. He imbued himself in the hippie culture, playing a four-hour set at the Monterey Pop Festival and the opening day of Woodstock.

Shankar was influenced to start a benefit concert in 1971 after hearing about the millions of refugees fleeing into India to escape the war in Bangladesh. The multi-Grammy Award winner and Harrison managed to promote two shows at Madison Square Garden that included appearances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Ringo Starr. The benefit raised millions of dollars for UNICEF and inspired an album and film - Shankar considered it "one of the most moving and intense musical experiences of the century."

Shankar also won three Grammy awards and was nominated for an Oscar for his musical score for the movie "Gandhi."

In 1979, Shankar fathered musical protégé Norah Jones with New York concert promoter Sue Jones. In 1981 he fathered another musical talent, daughter Anoushka, with tanpura player Sukanya Rajan (whom he later married). Shankar trained Anoushka in the sitar, and the father-daughter duo went on to tour the world together.

Shankar's last musical performance was with his daughter Anoushka on Nov. 4 in Long Beach, California. His foundation said it was to celebrate his 10th decade of creating music.

In a recent statement released by Rajan and Anoushka, the saddened wife and daughter claim, "Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as part of our lives."