Bhopal: Salim becomes ‘Ustad’; father-son tabla players designated Top, A grade artistes

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Salim Allahwale, a tabla player from Bhopal, has been honoured with ‘Top Grade’ artist award in India Classical Tabla by the directorate of All India Radio.

He is the only tabla player from the state who got the position after late Ram Prakash Rataunia. Similarly, his son Mohammed Sami has also been awarded with ‘A Grade’ artist.

It is a very proud moment for us that my son and I got the achievement together. It is all because of the blessing of my father and gurus, Salim told Free Press. He said that after getting the grade, now the artist can write ‘Ustad’ before his name.

Salim who belongs to Agra and Patiala Gharanas has been working in the field for 40 years. He started learning tabla at the age of five from his father late Ustad Daddu Khan. After that he took formal training in music from noted artists of the country including Ustad Ameer Mohammad Khan, Ustad Alladiye Khan , Fareed Husain and Sabir Husain.

He has been playing around bandishes of gharanas including Dilli, Ajrada Farrukhabad, Punjab, Banaras and Lucknow. He has participated in around 500 music concerts all over India and abroad. He is also teaching tabla to 50 students across the country and abroad as well. Besides tabla player, he is ‘A Grade’ Ghazal singer. “I am doing graduation in tabla recital. We want to carry forward the tradition of our gharanas which I got from my gurus,” Sami said.