PRESS RELEASE

Baithak@Consulate

To popularize Indian Classical Music amongst the youth, Consulate General of India,New York has launched new initiative titled "Baithak@Consulate" which features prominent artists and masters.The sixth event in the series, on May 16th, 2019, featured renowned Sufi artist – Zila

Khan, the daughter of sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan. Ms. Khan sings classical and semi- cal musical forms and performs in the tradition of Imdadkhani gharana.

Ms. Zila Khan regaled a full house at the Consulate. The audience was struck by Ms.Khan’s ability to seamlessly combine couplets of Khusro and Rumi in her Sufi singing. Her deep and sometimes assertive, sometimes soft voice wound itself around every genre with ease. Considered one of the finest Sufi singers in the world, she is known for her ability to do that. She also held the audience spellbound with her renditions of some original compositions of Ustad Vilayat Khan. Ms. Khan runs the UstadGah Foundation, a not-for-profit organization with the goal of mentoring musically talented underprivileged children to enable them to earn a living with their art. She received the Incredible India Award in 2017, and also the Ghalib Award. The event ended with Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty, Consul General, felicitating the artists and congratulating them on a spectacular performance.

May 17, 2019 New York