Indian Classical Musician Ali Akbar Khan will be honoured with the Distinguished Service Award by The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) on 28 April at Gaylord India Restaurant in Sausalito, California.

The award will be given in order of nurturing and fostering a worldwide appreciation for Indian classical music. It will be presented by Indian scholar Haridas Chaudhuri and his wife, Bina, founders of San Francisco-based institute of higher education with a history of 38 years.

"CIIS is honored to bestow this award to Ali Akbar Khan," said CIIS President Joseph Subbiondo. "His immeasurable contribution to Indian classical music combined with his mentorship of so many generations of musicians makes him a priceless gem to all of us who cherish the preservation and celebration of Indian culture and music throughout the world."

Ali Akbar Khan is admired throughout the world for his brilliant musical compositions and his mastery of the sarode, an Indian 25-string instrument. He has been trained by his father, Padma Vibhusan Acharya Baba Allauddin Khan and has also received several Grammy nominations.

In addition to being a virtuoso performer, Khan is also a teacher who has shared his talent and passion for music with thousands of students around the world. He began teaching music in the United States in 1965 and two years later, opened Ali Akbar College of Music in Berkeley, and recently in San Rafael.