Folk musician A master of kamancha or kamaicha, a bowed stringed instrument, Sakar Khan excelled in learning, performing and collecting a huge amount of music dating back generations, perhaps centuries, handed down from father to son. Learning from his father, at an early age, Sakar Khan played 17-string instrument created from wood and goatskin. His skill would take him around the world - Belgium, London, France, Japan, and the Soviet Union - and during the 1970s and 1980s he toured the US and Asia as part of acts promoting Indian folk traditions. In 2012, Sakar Khan was given the Padma Shri, India's highest civilian honour, for his contribution to Indian music. Sakar Khan was born into the family of traditional musicians in the village of Hamira, in western Rajasthan, about 10 miles from Jaisalmer and close to the border with Pakistan.