Ravi Shankar was an Indian musician and composer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest sitar players of all time. He was born in 1920 in Varanasi, India and began playing the sitar at the age of 10. He went on to become a renowned performer and teacher, and was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, in 1999. Shankar's influence on Western music was immense, and he collaborated with many famous musicians, including George Harrison and Yehudi Menuhin. He passed away in 2012, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful music.