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An old man playing the tabla, with the two instruments representing the “O”s of Google. That is the search engine’s major’s tribute to the Indian tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha Khan.
The doodle is dedicated to the maestro on his 95th birth anniversary. Clicking on the doodle will take the user to the Wikipedia page and other related search items on the legendary tabla player.
Born on April 29, 1919, in Jammu, Alla Rakha or Allarakha Qureshi Khansahed was often seen accompanying Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Alla Rakha is said to have taken a fascination towards the tabla at the age of 12. He ran away from home to pursue his interest and became a disciple of Mian Kader Baksh of the Punjab gharana.
After beginning his career as an accompanist, Alla Rakha became an All India Radio staffer in Bombay in 1940. He played the station’s first ever tabla solo. He is also said to have composed music for Hindi films between 1943 and 1948.
After being honoured with the Padma Shri in 1977 and later the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1982; he founded the Alla Rakha Institute of Music in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1985.
His sons - Zakhir Hussain, Fazal Qureshi and Taufiq Qureshi - are among the leading tabla players of the country.
Alla Rakha died on February 3, 2000 in Mumbai following a heart attack.
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