Rahim Bakhsh

Rahim Bakhsh (Persian: رحیم‌بخش‎), commonly known as was an ustad (maestro) of Hindustani classical music and classical music culture from Afghanistan. He is also well renowned and popular in a few neighboring countries. He was born in Kharabat into a well-known Tajik family, a traditional part city of art in Kabul and was the creator of a new classical music in Afghanistan. With his work he represented the more than 4500 years old Tajik culture of Central Asia. He was counted as leading authorities of classical music in Afghanistan. Like virtually all classical vocalists of Afghanistan, he belonged to the Patiala Gharana (gharana meaning a school or style of music) of Hindustani classical music. The Ustad (pers.: master) died in 2002. His last wish was to have his grave beside his teacher Ustad Qasim. Ustad Rahim Bakhsh's grave is situated in Kabul on a place called Showda where every Friday night Sufis are praying.

Muhammad Rahim Bakhsh was born in 1922 in Kharabat district of Kabul Afghanistan He began his music training at a young age of 8 under the tutelage of his grand father Mohammad Akbar Bakhsh and later under his father Khalifa Imamuddin Bakhsh studying the art of Tabla. By the age of 10, Mohammad Rahim Bakhsh was officially accepted by the school of Ustad Qasim Afghan, becoming the 7th string student of this great afghan master.

Mohammad Rahim studied Tabla, Harmonium and vocal and sang the classical songs of his master at the schools performance events. An official of Radio Kabul invited Mohammad Rahim to sing on national radio which was broadcast live in its entirety. His first recorded song was More khyal was highly received by the public, that he was offered a full-time position as an official singer of National Radio. Mohammad Rahim Bakhsh, walked from his home in Kharabat to the radio station, perform his song and with musical instrument on his back, walked back home only to repeat it three more times daily. At the age of 13.