Editing Ravi Shankar (section)

== Career ==

=== Musical training and work in India ===
[[File:Satyajit Ray with Ravi Sankar recording for Pather Panchali.jpg|alt=|thumb|Shankar (right) at a meeting with [[Satyajit Ray]] for the sound production of ''[[Pather Panchali]]'' (1955)]]
Shankar's parents had died by the time he returned from the Europe tour, and touring the West had become difficult because of political conflicts that would lead to [[World War II]].<ref name=Lavezzolip51>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 51.</ref> Shankar gave up his dancing career in 1938 to go to [[Maihar]] and study [[Indian classical music]] as Khan's pupil, living with his family in the traditional ''[[gurukul]]'' system.<ref name="NewGrove" /> Khan was a rigorous teacher and Shankar had training on ''sitar'' and ''[[surbahar]]'', learned ''[[raga]]s'' and the musical styles ''[[dhrupad]]'', ''[[Dhamar (music)|dhamar]]'', and ''[[khyal]]'', and was taught the techniques of the instruments ''[[rudra veena]]'', ''[[Rubab (instrument)|rubab]]'', and ''[[sursingar]]''.<ref name="NewGrove" /><ref name=Lavezzolip52>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 52.</ref> He often studied with Khan's children [[Ali Akbar Khan]] and [[Annapurna Devi]].<ref name=Lavezzolip51 /> Shankar began to perform publicly on ''sitar'' in December 1939 and his debut performance was a ''[[jugalbandi]]'' (duet) with Ali Akbar Khan, who played the string instrument ''[[sarod]]''.<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 53.</ref>

Shankar completed his training in 1944.<ref name="AMG" /> He moved to [[Mumbai]] and joined the [[Indian People's Theatre Association]], for whom he composed music for ballets in 1945 and 1946, [[Dharti Ke Lal]], 1946.<ref name="AMG" /><ref name=Ghoshp57>Ghosh 1983, p. 57.</ref> Shankar recomposed the music for the popular song "[[Sare Jahan Se Achcha]]" at the age of 25.<ref>Sharma 2007, pp. 163–164.</ref><ref name=Arunabha>{{cite web|last=Deb|first=Arunabha|title=Ravi Shankar: 10 interesting facts|work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]|date=26 February 2009|url=http://www.livemint.com/2009/02/26212701/Ravi-Shankar-10-interesting-f.html|access-date=18 July 2009|archive-date=14 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614145024/http://www.livemint.com/2009/02/26212701/Ravi-Shankar-10-interesting-f.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He began to record music for [[Saregama|His Master's Voice]] and worked as a music director for [[All India Radio]] (AIR), New Delhi, from February 1949 until January 1956.<ref name="AMG" /> Shankar founded the Indian National Orchestra at AIR and composed for it; in his compositions he combined Western and classical Indian instrumentation.<ref>Lavezzoli 2Ravi ShankarRavi ShankarRavi Shankar006, p. 56.</ref> Beginning in the mid-1950s he composed the music for the ''[[The Apu Trilogy|Apu Trilogy]]'' by [[Satyajit Ray]], which became internationally acclaimed.<ref name=Massey /><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Schickel|first=Richard|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1953094_1953142_1953289,00.html|title=The Apu Trilogy (1955, 1956, 1959)|date=12 February 2005|access-date=14 October 2010|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|archive-date=13 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013113055/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1953094_1953142_1953289,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was music director for several Hindi movies including ''[[Godaan]]'' and [[Anuradha (1960 film)|''Anuradha'']].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/capital-closeup/2012/12/12/a-lesser-known-side-of-ravi-shankar/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214055929/http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/capital-closeup/2012/12/12/a-lesser-known-side-of-ravi-shankar/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 December 2012 |title=A lesser known side of Ravi Shankar |work=Hindustan Times |date=12 December 2012 |access-date=12 December 2012 }}</ref>

=== 1956–1969: International performances ===
[[File:Ravi Shankar flier front.jpg|thumb|Concert flier, 1967|left]]
[[V. K. Narayana Menon]], director of AIR Delhi, introduced the Western violinist Yehudi Menuhin to Shankar during Menuhin's first visit to India in 1952.<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 47.</ref> Shankar had performed as part of a cultural delegation in the [[Soviet Union]] in 1954 and Menuhin invited Shankar in 1955 to perform in New York City for a demonstration of Indian classical music, sponsored by the [[Ford Foundation]].<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 57.</ref><ref name=Lavezzolip58>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 58.</ref>{{efn|Shankar declined to attend because of problems in his marriage, but recommended Ali Akbar Khan to play instead.<ref name=Lavezzolip58 /> Khan reluctantly accepted and performed with ''[[tabla]]'' (percussion) player [[Chatur Lal]] in the [[Museum of Modern Art]], and he later became the first Indian classical musician to perform on American television and record a full ''raga'' performance, for [[Angel Records]].<ref name=Lavezzolip5859>Lavezzoli 2006, pp. 58–59.</ref>}}

Shankar heard about the positive response Khan received and resigned from AIR in 1956 to tour the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.<ref name=Lavezzolip61>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 61.</ref> He played for smaller audiences and educated them about Indian music, incorporating ''ragas'' from the [[South India]]n [[Carnatic music]] in his performances, and recorded his first [[LP album]] ''[[Three Ragas]]'' in London, released in 1956.<ref name=Lavezzolip61 /> In 1958, Shankar participated in the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the United Nations and [[UNESCO]] music festival in Paris.<ref name=Ghoshp57 /> From 1961, he toured Europe, the United States, and Australia, and became the first Indian to compose music for non-Indian films.<ref name=Ghoshp57 />{{efn|Chatur Lal accompanied Shankar on ''tabla'' until 1962, when Alla Rakha assumed the role.<ref name=Lavezzolip61 />}} Shankar founded the [[Kinnara School of Music]] in [[Mumbai]] in 1962.<ref name="Brockhaus">''Brockhaus'', p. 199.</ref>

Shankar befriended [[Richard Bock (record producer)|Richard Bock]], founder of [[Pacific Jazz Records|World Pacific Records]], on his first American tour and recorded most of his albums in the 1950s and 1960s for Bock's label.<ref name=Lavezzolip61 /> [[The Byrds]] recorded at the same studio and heard Shankar's music, which led them to incorporate some of its elements in theirs, introducing the genre to their friend [[George Harrison]] of the [[Beatles]].<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 62.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-121212-ravi-da-04.photoblog900.jpg |title=Photo of George Harrison and Ravi Shankar |access-date=17 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510071902/http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-121212-ravi-da-04.photoblog900.jpg |archive-date=10 May 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1967, Shankar performed a well-received set at the [[Monterey Pop Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://philipgoldberg.com/wp-content/uploads/ravi-header.jpg|title=Photo of Ravi Shankar performing in late 1960s|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=2 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802032755/http://philipgoldberg.com/wp-content/uploads/ravi-header.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Pop Chronicles|47}}</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk60ObnbIOk Ravi Shankar performing at the Monterey Pop (June 1967)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016202541/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk60ObnbIOk |date=16 October 2016 }}, 18 min.</ref> While complimentary of the talents of several of the rock artists at the festival, he said he was "horrified" to see [[Jimi Hendrix]] set fire to his guitar on stage:<ref>video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U5dvC5qr6Y "Jimi Hendrix Sets Guitar On Fire at Monterey Pop Festival, 1967"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001202152/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U5dvC5qr6Y |date=1 October 2016 }}</ref> "That was too much for me. In our culture, we have such respect for musical instruments, they are like part of God."<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-20690632 "Ravi Shankar, Indian sitar maestro, dies"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602135139/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-20690632 |date=2 June 2018 }}, ''BBC'', 12 December 2012.</ref> Shankar's [[Live: Ravi Shankar at the Monterey International Pop Festival|live album from Monterey]] peaked at number 43 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Billboard 200|pop LPs chart]] in the US, which remains the highest placing he achieved on that chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1481439/ravi-shankars-impact-on-pop-music-an-appreciation|last=Gallo|first=Phil|title=Ravi Shankar's Impact on Pop Music: An Appreciation|date=12 December 2012|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|billboard.com]]|access-date=26 July 2017|archive-date=24 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024011302/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1481439/ravi-shankars-impact-on-pop-music-an-appreciation|url-status=live}}</ref>

Shankar won a [[Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance]] for ''[[West Meets East]]'', a collaboration with Yehudi Menuhin.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.musicrecordshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/8/2/825646484157_1.jpg |title="West Meets East" album cover |access-date=17 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018212613/http://www.musicrecordshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/8/2/825646484157_1.jpg |archive-date=18 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=Glass /><ref name=Grammy>{{cite web|title=Past Winners Search|publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]]|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=Shankar&title=&year=All&genre=All|access-date=7 June 2011|archive-date=25 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925205029/http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=Shankar&title=&year=All&genre=All|url-status=live}}</ref> He opened a Western branch of the Kinnara School of Music in Los Angeles, in May 1967, and published an autobiography, ''My Music, My Life'', in 1968.<ref name=Ghoshp57 /><ref name="Brockhaus" /> In 1968, he composed the score for the film ''[[Charly (1968 film)|Charly]]''.

He performed at the [[Woodstock Festival]] in August 1969, and found he disliked the venue.<ref name=Glass /> In the late 1960s, Shankar distanced himself from the [[hippie]] movement and drug culture.<ref name=Mahony>{{cite news|last=O'Mahony|first=John|title=Ravi Shankar bids Europe adieu|work=The Taipei Times|location=UK|date=8 June 2008|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2008/06/08/2003414118|access-date=18 July 2009|archive-date=23 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823120732/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2008/06/08/2003414118|url-status=live}}</ref> He explained during an interview:

{{blockquote|It makes me feel rather hurt when I see the association of drugs with our music. The music to us is religion. The quickest way to reach godliness is through music. I don't like the association of one bad thing with the music.<ref>''Independent Star-News'', Associated Press interview, 4 November 1967.</ref>}}

=== 1970–2012: International performances ===
In October 1970, Shankar became chair of the Department of Indian Music of the [[California Institute of the Arts]] after previously teaching at the [[City College of New York]], the [[University of California, Los Angeles]], and being guest lecturer at other colleges and universities, including the [[Ali Akbar College of Music]].<ref name=Ghoshp57 /><ref name=Ghoshp56>Ghosh 1983, p. 56.</ref><ref name=Lavezzolip66 /> In late 1970, the [[London Symphony Orchestra]] invited Shankar to compose a concerto with ''sitar''. ''[[Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra]]'' was performed with [[André Previn]] as conductor and Shankar playing the ''sitar''.<ref name=Massey /><ref name=Lavezzolip221>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 221.</ref>{{efn|Hans Neuhoff of ''[[Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart]]'' has criticized the usage of the orchestra in this concerto as "amateurish".<ref name="Neuhoff">Neuhoff 2006, pp. 672–673.</ref>}} Shankar performed at the [[Concert for Bangladesh]] in August 1971, held at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York. After the musicians had tuned up on stage for over a minute, the crowd of rock-music fans broke into applause, to which the amused Shankar responded, "If you like our tuning so much, I hope you will enjoy the playing more." which confused the audience. Still, the audience well received the subsequent performance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/sitar-virtuoso-ravi-shankar-dies-at-92-1.1195654|title=Sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar dies at 92|author=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=11 December 2012|access-date=15 July 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715180334/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/sitar-virtuoso-ravi-shankar-dies-at-92-1.1195654|archive-date=15 July 2022|quote="Shankar was amused after he and colleague Ustad Ali Akbar Khan were greeted with admiring applause when they opened the Concert for Bangladesh by twanging their sitar and sarod for a minute and a half. 'If you like our tuning so much, I hope you will enjoy the playing more,' he told the confused crowd, and then launched into his set."}}</ref> Although interest in Indian music had decreased in the early 1970s, the [[The Concert for Bangladesh (album)|live album]] from the concert became one of the best-selling recordings to feature the genre and won Shankar a second Grammy Award.<ref name=Grammy /><ref name=Lavezzolip66>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 66.</ref>

{{quote box|
| align = right
| width = 25%
| quote = As for Shankar and the sitar, they are extensions one of the other, each seeming to enter into the other's soul in one of the world's supreme musical arts. It is a thing inimitable, beyond words and forever new. For, as Shankar explained, 90 percent of all the music played was improvised.
| source = &nbsp;– [[Paul Hume (music critic)|Paul Hume]], music editor for ''Washington Post''<ref>Hume, Paul. "A Sensational Jam Session with India's Ravi Shankar", ''Washington Post'', 11 September 1968.</ref>
}}
In November and December 1974, Shankar co-headlined a [[George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's 1974 North American tour|North American tour with George Harrison]]. The demanding schedule weakened his health, and he suffered a heart attack in Chicago, causing him to miss a portion of the tour.<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, pp. 195–96.</ref>{{efn|In his absence, Shankar's sister-in-law, singer [[Lakshmi Shankar]], conducted the touring orchestra.<ref name=Lavezzolip196>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 196.</ref>}} Harrison, Shankar and members of the touring band visited the [[White House]] on invitation of [[John Gardner Ford]], son of US president [[Gerald Ford]].<ref name=Lavezzolip196 /> Shankar toured and taught for the remainder of the 1970s and the 1980s and released his second concerto, ''Raga Mala'', conducted by [[Zubin Mehta]], in 1981.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/following-the-first-performance-of-his-concerto-no-2-for-sitar-and-picture-id159634420|title=Photo of Ravi Shankar with conductor Zubin Mehta joking around after a concert|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=18 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018222330/http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/following-the-first-performance-of-his-concerto-no-2-for-sitar-and-picture-id159634420|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Adam|title=Where Are They Now?|work=Newsweek|date=8 August 1994|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/NWEC/lib00285,0EC05F4D76C65508.html|access-date=10 July 2009}}</ref><ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 222.</ref> Shankar was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Original Music Score]] for his work on the 1982 movie ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]''.{{efn|Shankar lost to [[John Williams]]' ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|ET]]''<ref name=Oscar>{{cite news|title=Ravi Shankar remains true to his Eastern musical ethos|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]|date=19 April 2005|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-9117516.html|access-date=18 July 2009 | first=Sean | last=Piccoli}}</ref>}}

He performed in Moscow in 1988,<ref name=NYT-obit/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjVVCjRE3as|title=Ravi Shankar – Inside the Kremlin|website=[[YouTube]]|access-date=18 October 2016|archive-date=13 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713010942/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjVVCjRE3as|url-status=live}}</ref> with 140 musicians, including the Russian Folk Ensemble and members of the Moscow Philharmonic, along with his own group of Indian musicians.<ref name=NYT-obit/>

He served as a member of the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper chamber of the Parliament of India, from 12 May 1986 to 11 May 1992, after being nominated by Indian Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]].<ref name=Arunabha /><ref>{{cite web|title='Rajya Sabha Members'/Biographical Sketches 1952 – 2003|publisher=[[Rajya Sabha]]|date=6 January 2004|url=http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/pre_member/1952_2003/r.pdf|access-date=29 July 2010|archive-date=25 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725110253/https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/pre_member/1952_2003/r.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Shankar composed the dance drama ''Ghanashyam'' in 1989.<ref name="Brockhaus" /> His liberal views on musical co-operation led him to contemporary composer [[Philip Glass]], with whom he released an album, ''[[Passages (Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass album)|Passages]]'', in 1990,<ref name="NewGrove" /> in a project initiated by [[Peter Baumann]] of the band [[Tangerine Dream]].

[[File:Ravi and Anoushka Shankar 2007.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|Shankar performing with [[Anoushka Shankar]] in 2007]]
Because of the positive response to Shankar's 1996 career compilation ''[[Ravi Shankar: In Celebration|In Celebration]]'', Shankar wrote a second autobiography, ''[[Raga Mala (book)|Raga Mala]]''.<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 197.</ref> He performed between 25 and 40 concerts every year during the late 1990s.<ref name="NewGrove" /> Shankar taught his daughter [[Anoushka Shankar]] to play ''sitar'' and in 1997 became a Regents' Professor at [[University of California, San Diego]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Shankar advances her music|work=The Washington Times|date=16 November 1999|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/WT/lib00179,0EB0F3E288AD65E1.html|access-date=4 November 2009|archive-date=11 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011193750/https://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0F3E288AD65E1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Legendary Virtuoso Sitarist Rave Shankar Accepts Regents' Professor Appointment at University of California, San Diego|work=UCSDnews|date=18 September 1997|url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/archive/newsrel/arts/shankar.html|access-date=11 December 2014|archive-date=16 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216234325/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/archive/newsrel/arts/shankar.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

He performed with Anoushka for the [[BBC World Service|BBC]] in 1997 at the [[Symphony Hall, Birmingham|Symphony Hall in Birmingham]], England.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xB_X9BOAOU#t=33.274013|title=Ravi Shankar & Anoushka Shankar Live: Raag Khamaj (1997)|website=[[YouTube]]|access-date=18 October 2016|archive-date=25 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125003734/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xB_X9BOAOU#t=33.274013|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2000s, he won a [[Grammy Award for Best World Music Album]] for ''[[Full Circle: Carnegie Hall 2000]]'' and toured with Anoushka, who released a book about her father, ''Bapi: Love of My Life'', in 2002.<ref name=Grammy /><ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 411.</ref>{{efn|Anoushka performed a composition by Shankar for the 2002 Harrison memorial [[Concert for George]] and Shankar wrote a third concerto for ''sitar'' and orchestra for Anoushka and the [[Orpheus Chamber Orchestra]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Idato|first=Michael|title=Concert for George|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=9 April 2004|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/08/1081326843156.html|access-date=18 July 2009|archive-date=3 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103061845/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/08/1081326843156.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Anoushka enthralls at New York show|work=The Hindu|location=India|date=4 February 2009|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200902041040.htm|access-date=18 July 2009|archive-date=5 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105132244/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200902041040.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>}} After George Harrison's death in 2001, Shankar performed at the [[Concert for George]], a celebration of Harrison's music staged at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London in 2002.<ref>video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG5EdoxBVt0 Concert for George, at the Royal Albert Hall, 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424064839/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG5EdoxBVt0 |date=24 April 2017 }}</ref>

In June 2008, Shankar played what was billed as his last European concert,<ref name=Mahony /> but his 2011 tour included dates in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|last=Barnett|first=Laura|title=Portrait of the artist: Ravi Shankar, musician|newspaper=The Guardian|date=6 June 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/jun/06/ravi-shankar-musician|access-date=7 June 2011|archive-date=28 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228034939/http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/jun/06/ravi-shankar-musician|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/41395269.cms|title=Photo of Ravi Shankar (3rd from left) and his wife Sukanya Shankar with former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney (2nd from left) and Ringo Starr (right).|website=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=21 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521155125/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/41395269.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 1 July 2010, at the [[Southbank Centre]]'s [[Royal Festival Hall]], London, England, [[Anoushka Shankar]], on sitar, performed with the [[London Philharmonic Orchestra]], conducted by David Murphy, which was billed the first ''Symphony'' by Ravi Shankar.{{efn|This performance was recorded and is available on CD.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://londonphilharmonic.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/new-album-ravi-shankar-symphony-exclusive-on-itunes/|title=New album: Ravi Shankar Symphony – exclusive on iTunes – London Philharmonic Orchestra News|work=London Philharmonic Orchestra News|access-date=6 May 2015|archive-date=16 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316165724/https://londonphilharmonic.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/new-album-ravi-shankar-symphony-exclusive-on-itunes/|url-status=live}}</ref> The website of the Ravi Shankar Foundation provides the information that "The symphony was written in Indian notation in 2010, and has been interpreted by his student and conductor, David Murphy."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ravishankar.org/|title=Ravi Shankar|access-date=6 May 2015|archive-date=26 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226102614/http://ravishankar.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> The information available on the website does not explain this process of "interpretation" of Ravi Shankar's notation by David Murphy, nor how Ravi Shankar's Indian notation could accommodate Western orchestral writing.}}
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=== Collaboration with George Harrison ===
[[File:Musicians Ravi Shankar and George Harrison in Los Angeles, Calif., 1967.jpg|thumb|George Harrison and Ravi Shankar in 1967]]

[[The Beatles]]' guitarist [[George Harrison]], who was first introduced to Shankar's music by the American singers [[Roger McGuinn]] and [[David Crosby]],<ref name=Thomson>Thomson, Graeme. ''George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door'', Overlook-Omnibus (2016) {{ISBN|1468313932}}</ref>{{rp|113}} themselves big fans of Shankar, became influenced by Shankar's music. Harrison went on to help popularize Shankar and the [[Raga rock|use of Indian instruments in pop music]] throughout the 1960s.<ref name=Lavezzolip9>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 9.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Robert |title=Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980 |date=2010 |publisher=Backbeat Books |location=New York |isbn=978-0-87930-968-8|page=235}}</ref> [[Olivia Harrison]] explains:
{{blockquote|When George heard Indian music, that really was the trigger, it was like a bell that went off in his head. It not only awakened a desire to hear more music, but also to understand what was going on in Indian philosophy. It was a unique diversion.<ref name=Thomson/>{{rp|114}}}}

Harrison became interested in Indian classical music, bought a sitar and used it to record the song "[[Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)]]".<ref name=Schaffner>Schaffner 1980, p. 64.</ref> In 1968, he went to India to take lessons from Shankar, some of which were captured on film.<ref>video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxI6IkH9Mvo "Ravi Shankar teaches George Harrison how to play sitar in 1968] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124230112/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxI6IkH9Mvo |date=24 November 2016 }}</ref> This led to Indian music being used by other musicians and popularised the [[raga rock]] trend.<ref name=Schaffner /> As the sitar and Indian music grew in popularity, groups such as [[the Rolling Stones]], [[the Animals]] and [[the Byrds]] began using it in some of their songs.<ref name=NYT-obit>[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/arts/music/ravi-shankar-indian-sitarist-dies-at-92.html?hp "Ravi Shankar, Sitarist Who Introduced Indian Music to the West, Dies at 92"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106063608/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/arts/music/ravi-shankar-indian-sitarist-dies-at-92.html?hp |date=6 January 2018 }}, ''New York Times'', 12 December 2012.</ref> The influence even extended to blues musicians such as [[Mike Bloomfield|Michael Bloomfield]], who created a raga-influenced improvisation number, "East-West" (Bloomfield scholars have cited its working title as "The Raga" when Bloomfield and his collaborator [[Nick Gravenites]] began to develop the idea) for the [[Butterfield Blues Band]] in 1966.

{{quote box|
| align = left
| width = 25em
| quote = I think Ravi was rather taken aback, because he was a classical musician, and rock and roll was really out of his sphere. He thought it rather amusing that George took to him so much, but he and George really bonded. Ravi realised that it wasn't just a fashion for George, that he had dedication. Ravi had such integrity, and was someone to be respected, and at the same time huge fun. George hadn't really met anyone like that, and he really encouraged his interest.
| source = – [[Patti Boyd]]<ref name=Thomson/>{{rp|119}}
}}

Harrison met Shankar in London in June 1966 and visited India later that year for six weeks to study ''sitar'' under Shankar in [[Srinagar]].<ref name=Arunabha /><ref name=Glass>{{cite news|last=Glass|first=Philip|author-link=Philip Glass|title=George Harrison, World-Music Catalyst And Great-Souled Man; Open to the Influence of Unfamiliar Cultures|work=The New York Times|date=9 December 2001|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/09/arts/george-harrison-world-music-catalyst-great-souled-man-open-influence-unfamiliar.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=16 July 2009|archive-date=9 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609222839/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/09/arts/george-harrison-world-music-catalyst-great-souled-man-open-influence-unfamiliar.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kozinn|first=Allan|title=George Harrison, 'Quiet Beatle' And Lead Guitarist, Dies at 58|work=The New York Times|date=1 December 2001|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/01/arts/george-harrison-quiet-beatle-and-lead-guitarist-dies-at-58.html|access-date=23 October 2010|archive-date=4 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604054646/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/01/arts/george-harrison-quiet-beatle-and-lead-guitarist-dies-at-58.html|url-status=live}}</ref> During the visit, a documentary film about Shankar named ''[[Raga (film)|Raga]]'' was shot by Howard Worth and released in 1971.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Howard|title=Screen: Ravi Shankar; ' Raga,' a Documentary, at Carnegie Cinema|work=The New York Times|date=24 November 1971|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/24/archives/screen-ravi-shankar-raga-a-documentary-at-carnegie-cinema.html|access-date=19 July 2009|archive-date=6 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106174736/http://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/24/archives/screen-ravi-shankar-raga-a-documentary-at-carnegie-cinema.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Raga (2010 Remaster)|url=http://eastmeetswestmusic.com/discography/raga/|website=East Meets West Music|access-date=25 October 2016|archive-date=26 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026014931/http://eastmeetswestmusic.com/discography/raga/|url-status=live}}</ref> Shankar's association with Harrison greatly increased Shankar's popularity, and decades later [[Ken Hunt (music journalist)|Ken Hunt]] of [[AllMusic]] wrote that Shankar had become "the most famous Indian musician on the planet" by 1966.<ref name="AMG" /><ref name=Glass />

George Harrison organized the charity [[The Concert for Bangladesh|Concert for Bangladesh]] in August 1971, in which Shankar participated.<ref name=Glass /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/12/12/arts/12shankar_337/12shankar_337-jumbo.jpg|title=Photo of Ravi Shankar performing at the Concert for Bangladesh|access-date=18 October 2016|archive-date=12 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512192957/https://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/12/12/arts/12shankar_337/12shankar_337-jumbo.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 1970s, Shankar and Harrison worked together again, recording ''[[Shankar Family & Friends]]'' in 1973 and touring North America the following year to a mixed response after Shankar had toured Europe with the Harrison-sponsored [[Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India|Music Festival from India]].<ref>Lavezzoli 2006, p. 195.</ref> Shankar wrote a second autobiography, ''[[Raga Mala (book)|Raga Mala]]'', with Harrison as editor.
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