Ustad Kamal Sabri, internationally celebrated as the “Sarangi Sultan,” has won the Intercontinental Music Award 2026 USA, marking another significant milestone in his remarkable journey to take the Sarangi and Indian classical music to audiences across the world.
The latest honour, announced in Los Angeles, is particularly significant because it recognises not merely an individual musician but a centuries-old musical tradition carried forward through generations. For Sabri, the achievement is deeply connected to the legacy of his father and guru, the legendary Aaftab-e-Sarangi Ustad Sabri Khan, whose artistry helped establish the Sarangi as one of the most expressive instruments of Hindustani classical music.
Sabri’s winning recognition is associated with “Tore Bina Shyam,” a musical collaboration with renowned singer Pt. Anup Jalota. The composition had earlier been shortlisted as a finalist in the Bollywood Music category representing Asia at the Intercontinental Music Awards.
A victory for the Sarangi
For generations, the Sarangi has occupied a special place in Indian music. Its extraordinary ability to reproduce the subtle movements and emotional character of the human voice has made it an instrument of profound expressive power. Yet, despite its importance within the classical tradition, the Sarangi has often remained less familiar to international audiences than instruments such as the sitar and tabla.
Ustad Kamal Sabri has spent much of his artistic life changing that perception.
As a seventh-generation exponent of the Moradabad Gharana, Sabri was introduced to the Sarangi at a very young age under the guidance of his father, Ustad Sabri Khan. His journey has subsequently taken him from India’s major classical stages to international festivals, universities, cultural institutions and collaborations with musicians from different musical traditions.
His work demonstrates that preserving tradition does not necessarily mean keeping it confined to the past. Instead, Sabri has sought to give the Sarangi a contemporary international voice while retaining the discipline, aesthetics and emotional depth of Hindustani classical music.
From his father’s legacy to the world stage
The latest Los Angeles recognition has a deeply personal dimension for Sabri. Speaking about the award, he described it as a recognition of the timeless voice of the Sarangi and the musical heritage passed on to him by his father and guru. He has also emphasised that every achievement carries a responsibility to preserve the tradition and introduce younger generations to the instrument.
That philosophy has been central to his career.
Ustad Sabri Khan, remembered as one of the great ambassadors of the Sarangi, played a major role in bringing the instrument to wider national and international audiences. UCLA’s Centre for India and South Asia has described him as a pioneer who helped popularise and redefine the Sarangi, while noting the contribution of his sons, including Ustad Kamal Sabri, to continuing that legacy.
Today, Kamal Sabri carries that heritage forward in his own distinctive artistic language.
‘Tore Bina Shyam’ — tradition meets contemporary expression
The award-winning recognition surrounding Tore Bina Shyam also reflects Sabri’s ability to move between musical worlds.
The collaboration with Pt. Anup Jalota brings together the emotional vocabulary of Indian classical music with a contemporary presentation. Sabri’s involvement as composer and singer, alongside Jalota’s vocal contribution, demonstrates his multidimensional role—not only as a Sarangi performer but also as a composer and creative artist.
The project has also received support from cultural organisations including the Green FAD Museum and the International Museum of the Saree, highlighting the growing relationship between music, heritage and cultural diplomacy. A growing international journey The Los Angeles honour becomes another chapter in a career marked by international recognition.
Sabri has previously received the Nashville Music City Award for International Artist of the Year, a Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards in Los Angeles, and recognition for his contribution to world music and cultural exchange. His recent honours include the Global Iconic Artist Award 2026, presented in London for his contribution to the global heritage of world music.
His international work has also included performances, collaborations and educational engagements across different countries. A recent 2026 performance in California further demonstrated his continuing connection with audiences on the American West Coast.
For an artist whose instrument is deeply rooted in India’s classical heritage, this international journey represents something larger than personal success.
Music as a bridge between cultures
In an age when cultural boundaries are becoming increasingly fluid, Sabri believes music can serve as a bridge between people and traditions. His philosophy is simple but powerful: the Sarangi should not merely be preserved as a historical instrument; it should continue to live, evolve and speak to new generations.
That approach has made Sabri an important cultural ambassador for Indian classical music. His career combines the responsibilities of a traditional musician with those of a composer, educator and international performer.
The latest Los Angeles recognition therefore carries a wider meaning. It places the Sarangi itself in the spotlight and reminds international audiences of the extraordinary depth of India’s musical heritage.
A new chapter in an unbroken legacy
For the Sabri family, music is more than a profession—it is a continuing inheritance.
From Aaftab-e-Sarangi Ustad Sabri Khan to Ustad Kamal Sabri, the family tradition has travelled across generations while adapting to new stages and new audiences. Kamal Sabri’s international success demonstrates how a deeply rooted classical tradition can remain relevant in a rapidly changing musical world.
The Intercontinental Music Award 2026 is consequently not simply another trophy on analready distinguished shelf. It is another affirmation of the Sarangi’s place on the international stage.
For Jammu and Kashmir, for India and for admirers of Indian classical music worldwide, Ustad Kamal Sabri’s latest achievement is a moment of pride.
The “Sarangi Man” continues to carry the instrument’s soulful voice across borders—and in doing so, carries with him the blessings of his guru, the legacy of his family and the timeless musical spirit of India.
From the heritage of the Moradabad Gharana to the lights of Los Angeles, Ustad Kamal Sabri’s journey proves that when tradition is carried with conviction, its voice knows no boundaries.
