Shankar became a music icon during the 1960s. He was close friends with George Harrison of the Beatles. Harrison called Shankar the "the godfather of world music."
Shankar, a longtime Encinitas resident, helped millions in the West discover the centuries-old traditions of Indian music over his eight-decade career. He collaborated with Harrison, violinist Yehudi Menuhin and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane as he worked to bridge the musical gap between the West and East.
To later generations, he was known as the estranged father of popular American singer Norah Jones.
Shankar won three Grammy awards and was nominated for an Oscar for his musical score in the film, "Gandhi."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
