VARANASI, India, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Ustad Bismillah Khan, a shehnai master and one of India's most celebrated musicians, died of cardiac arrest in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, at age 90.
Khan died Aug. 14 in Heritage Hospital following a long illness and was buried with full state honors, NDTV reported.
The Uttar Pradesh government declared a day of mourning, closing all state schools and offices, the Times of India reported.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Khan's music was imbued with divinity.
Khan grew up in Varanasi, a Hindu holy city on the Ganges River, where his uncle was the official shehnai player in Visvanath temple. At an early age, he was surrounded by various types of music from Uttar Pradesh, including thumri, kajri and sawani.
Khan was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honor, as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, the Tansen award and the Padma Vibhushan.
He is survived by five sons and three daughters.
