Who was known as 'Akhtar Piya'?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, is famously known by the pseudonym "Akhtar Piya." He was a towering figure in the arts, a prolific composer, poet, and an accomplished Kathak dancer, who provided immense patronage to the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak and is often credited with popularizing the light classical music form, Thumri. While his poetic *takhallus* (pen name) was "Qaisar," he deliberately chose "Akhtar Piya" (meaning 'beloved star') for his vast musical compositions, which included over forty works of poems, prose, and *Thumris*. His artistic contributions, especially under this particular name, solidified his legacy as a true connoisseur and creator in the realm of Indian classical music and dance, making him the definitive answer.

The incorrect option is 1:
Mushtaq Ali Khan was one of the most prominent Sitar and Surbahar players of the 20th century, belonging to the Senia Gharana. He was renowned for his rigorous classicism, preferring a pure, clean tone and an *alap* structured like *Dhrupad*. He was a descendant of Masit Sen, who invented the slow *Masitkhani gat*, but Khan himself focused on maintaining the purity of the Senia style. His dedication was to the instrumental tradition, and he is not associated with the distinct pen name 'Akhtar Piya'.

The incorrect option is 2:
Allauddin Khan, often lovingly called 'Baba', was a legendary multi-instrumentalist, Sarod maestro, and one of the most important music teachers of the 20th century. He is widely recognized as the founder of the Maihar Gharana of Hindustani classical music, whose disciples include Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He was known for fusing different instrumental styles and creating new *ragas*. His primary monikers were 'Baba' and 'Acharya', making his identity completely separate from the royal composer who used the pseudonym 'Akhtar Piya'.

The incorrect option is 4:
Masit Khan is a pivotal and historical figure in the Sitar tradition who lived centuries earlier than the Nawab of Awadh. He is recognized as the inventor of the slow-tempo Sitar composition style known as the *Masitkhani gat*, which forms the foundation of modern Sitar playing. He established a renowned lineage of Sitarists and Surbahar players. While his contribution is foundational to instrumental music, he was a classical musician and not the royal composer who adopted the lyrical pen name 'Akhtar Piya'.