The Man Behind The Musician

The Sixth String of Vilayat Khan, a no-holds-barred biography written by Namita Devidayal, throws light on the fascinating life of one of India’s most distinguished classical musicians.

- Beverly Pereira

IN THE SIXTH STRING OF VILAYAT KHAN, author and journalist Namita Devidayal has created an intimate portrait of the man and sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan. Tracing his journey from Gowripur to Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Dehradun and, ultimately, Princeton University, USA, the book focusses on Khan’s music and his mastery over the sitar. It also reveals the musician’s fragmented yet fascinating personality, who also loved cars, cooking and playing cards. Yet, his life was replete with personal and professional conflicts, sensitively expressed through anecdotes that make up much of the book. Devidayal’s past works include the award-winning The Music Room and Aftertaste. She also is a trained classical singer.

We bring you a Q&A with the literary sensation, followed by excerpts from the book.

What inspired you to write The Sixth String of Vilayat Khan?