Indian virtuoso musician Ravi Shankar - the man who introduced The Beatles to the sitar and father to singer Norah Jones - has died aged 92
- Labeled 'the godfather of world music' by George Harrison, Shankar helped millions of classical, jazz and rock lovers discover the centuries-old traditions of Indian music
- His close relationship with Harrison, the Beatles lead guitarist, shot Shankar to global stardom in the 1960s
- Later generations knew him as the estranged father of popular American singer Norah Jones
By James Nye
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Died: Ravi Shankar, 92, performs during a concert in Bangalore, India
Ravi Shankar, the sitar virtuoso who became a hippie musical icon of the 1960s after hobnobbing with the Beatles and who introduced traditional Indian ragas to Western audiences over an eight-decade career, has died.
He was 92.
A statement on the musician's website said he died in San Diego, near his Southern California home.
The musician's foundation issued a statement saying that he had suffered upper respiratory and heart problems and had undergone heart-valve replacement surgery last week.
The prime minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh's office confirmed his death and called him a 'national treasure.'
Labeled 'the godfather of world music' by George Harrison, Shankar helped millions of classical, jazz and rock lovers discover the centuries-old traditions of Indian music.
He also pioneered the concept of the rock benefit with the 1971 Concert For Bangladesh.
To later generations, he was known as the estranged father of popular American singer Norah Jones.
As early as the 1950s, Shankar began collaborating with and teaching some of the greats of Western music, including violinist Yehudi Menuhin and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.
