Tabla legend Ustad Ajmal passes away

Tabla player Ustad Muhammad Ajmal Khan died on Thursday due to cardiac arrest. He was 62.

Born in Multan in 1957, Ajmal Khan started playing the talba at the age of 12. Renowned Qawal brothers Bakhsi and Salamat were his father and uncle, according to Aal-i-Ali, a family friend of the deceased.

Ajmal Khan is survived by his widow, two sons and one daughter. He said that Ajmal Khan and his brother had long been living in Islamabad and funeral prayers also took place in Islamabad. He said Ustad Ajmal learnt the tabla playing from famous player Ustad Shaukat Hussain.

He played tabla with Noor Jahan, Mehdi Hassan Khan, Ghulam Ali, Ghulam Abbas and many more. The deceased performed in more than 60 countries. He was awarded Pride of Performance by Pakistan government on Aug 14, 2012.

“He used to attend and perform in the mehfils organized by former president Pervaiz Musharraf,” he added.

Originally published in Dawn, December 13th, 2019