Bismillah Khan, one of India's most revered classical musicians, was primarily associated with which musical instrument?

Introduction / Context:
Ustad Bismillah Khan is an iconic figure in Indian classical music. He played a pivotal role in taking a traditional folk and ceremonial instrument to the international concert stage. Many exams ask which instrument he played, because his name is almost synonymous with that instrument in Indian cultural memory.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question names Bismillah Khan and asks about his instrument.
• Options list Shehnai, Tabla, Sarod, Veena and Sitar.
• We assume exposure to basic information about major Indian musicians.

Concept / Approach:
The concept here is simply to match a famous musician with their main instrument. Bismillah Khan elevated the shehnai, a reed instrument traditionally used in weddings and temple ceremonies, to the status of a respected classical solo instrument. He performed at many national events, including India's Independence Day celebrations. Therefore the correct association is with the shehnai, not with percussion or plucked string instruments.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Bismillah Khan is frequently referred to as the shehnai maestro in news and textbooks.Step 2: Note that tabla is mainly associated with percussionists like Zakir Hussain.Step 3: Sarod is associated with musicians such as Amjad Ali Khan.Step 4: Veena and sitar have their own legendary exponents, but Bismillah Khan's name does not appear among them.Step 5: Therefore select Shehnai as the correct instrument.

Verification / Alternative check:

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Tabla is incorrect because it is a percussion pair of drums and has its own separate line of famous artists.Sarod is wrong since that is the main instrument of artists such as Amjad Ali Khan, not Bismillah Khan.Veena is associated with Carnatic music and legendary performers in that tradition, not with Bismillah Khan.Sitar is famously linked with Ravi Shankar and other sitar players, and not with the shehnai maestro.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to get confused between Bismillah Khan and other classical musicians if you have not practised matching names and instruments. Another pitfall is to assume that any famous musician must play a more commonly mentioned instrument like sitar or tabla. To avoid confusion, memorise short pairs such as Bismillah Khan shehnai, Ravi Shankar sitar, Zakir Hussain tabla, and so on.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Shehnai.