Babu Khan

Babu Khan belongs to the Manganiyar community of Jaisalmer, which is known for its inherent talent in folk music for several centuries that have passed. Currently, at the age of 43, Babu Khan has been learning and mastering the craft that he got as a gift from his forefathers since the age of 10. He only went to the local school of his birthplace called Harba which is a small village in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.

He was taught the art form by his father who was also one of the musicians in a long line of classical and folk artists of his family and was a multitalented artist who sang as well as played Kamaicha and Harmonium. He started performing at a young age of 11 when he went to the town hall along with his father and realized that his talents could really make an impact on the culture and community that he was born into. Eventually, at the age of 12, he was offered an opportunity to perform in Delhi with Anwar Khan, another famous folk and classical musician from Rajasthan who makes Manganiyar music that is true to the culture and has also been nominated for the Padma Shri. In 2002, Babu Khan began to perform with his own group of singers and instrumentalists. He went on to gain some recognition in the region and started performing in the state as well as national cultural and folk music festivals like the Sufi festival in Jodhpur, Bikaner Camel Festival, Suraj Kund Mela, etc. He has also reached the international stage with an event in Hong Kong in the year 2017.

Babu Khan believes in the preservation of folk music in the country and wants to make a difference to the cause through his own contributions to the art form. He plays songs that are centuries old and were written by his forefathers but have the capacity to describe emotions that all of us feel, living in the 21st century. He sings and plays Khartaal with his group and does if with undeniable artistry as he aims to showcase his skills on an international platform and raise awareness towards his craft.

• Jaisalmer
• Rajasthan