Ravi Shankar (born 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer renowned as the world’s leading figure in Indian classical music during the 20th century. Originally trained as a dancer in his brother Uday Shankar’s troupe, he later devoted himself to the sitar, studying under Allauddin Khan. Shankar gained international acclaim through his collaborations with Western musicians, including Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison of the Beatles, which helped introduce Indian music to global audiences. He composed music for films such as the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray and was music director at All India Radio in New Delhi. His work extended to writing pieces for sitar and orchestra and he received numerous honors, including four Grammy Awards, the Bharat Ratna, and the Polar Music Prize. Shankar also served in India’s upper parliament, the Rajya Sabha, and performed worldwide until his final years. He is the father of musicians Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar.