Ravi Shankar the Indian sitar supremo who came to worldwide prominence after playing with The Beatles has died aged in the US, aged 92.

In a statement quoted by Reuters, Shankar's wife Sukanya and daughter Anoushka said he had recently undergone surgery which would have "potentially given him a new lease of life" but unfortunately he had not recovered. Anoushka Shankar is herself is a sitar player and Shankar's other daughter is Grammy award winning singer Norah Jones.

George Harrison of the Beatles once called Shankar "the godfather of world music". He played at Woodstock and the 1967 Monterey Pop festival, and also collaborated with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. In 1999, Shankar was awarded the highest civilian citation in India - the Bharat Ratna, or Jewel of India. For the last years of his life, Ravi Shankar lived in Encinitas, California, with his wife.

I am Ann Salter thanks for watching. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates with me at ibtimes.co.uk

Written and presented by Ann Salter