About Zuheb

Zuheb Ahmed Khan is one of the leading torchbearers of the famous Ajrada gharana, and a rising star of Hindustani classical music. Born into a family of musicians, he received extensive training from his father Ustad Naushad Ahmed Khan, his maternal uncle Ustad Akram Khan, and his grandfather Ustad Hashmat Ali Khan, who are all notable exponents of the gharana. 

The Ajrada gharana, categorised as playing in the kinar baj, was founded in the nineteenth century. The gharana includes bol-patterns that are rather complicated with barabar and ari laya. Clarity of sound is the hallmark of the gharana’s playing style, and Zuheb is arguably the finest contemporary performer of this style.

Zuheb has performed at various prestigious platforms across India and internationally as well. His first ever stage performance was at the Indian embassy in Russia at a tender age of five. He has played with world-renowned classical musicians such as Ustad Aashish Khan, Ustad Shujaat Khan, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, Ustad Nishat Khan, Pt Satish Vyas, Pt Purbayan Chatterjee, Pt Niladri kumar, Ustad Irshad khan, and many more, and also with eminent jazz musicians like Kenny Barron, George Garzone, and Louis Hayes. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have evoked laud and admiration at various music festivals in India and abroad. His playing is marked by his uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity. Founded in formidable knowledge and study, he has not let his genius rest there.