Sultan Khan was born in Sikar (Rajasthan). He learned Sarangi from his father Gulab Khan. He started his career at the radio station Rajkot in Gujarat at the age of 20. After serving for eight years in Rajkot, he got a chance to accompany Lata Mangeshkar during her visit to Rajkot. This proved a turning point for him. Thereafter he was transferred to the Mumbai Radio station.Having joined the Mumbai radio he was not only deeply involved with the Mumbai music circuit but also with film industry music. He had the good fortune of accompanying the great Maestros such as Ustad Amir Khan, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Pt. Omkarnath Thakur, Ustad Nazakat Ali - Salamat Ali khan, Kishori Amonkar, etc.

He gave his first performance at the All India Conference at the age of eleven, and has performed on an international scale - with Ravi Shankar on George Harrison's 1974 Dark Horse World Tour. He contributed vocals and sarangi to Gavin Harrison's 1998 solo album Sanity & Gravity. He sang "Albela Sajan Aayo Re..."along with Kavita Krishnamurthy and Shankar Mahadevan in the Hindi film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999. He has also given his voice in films like Maqbool, Kachche Dhaage, Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, Parzania, Jab We Met, Agni Varsha, Superstar, Rahul, Paanch, Mausam, etc.
After 1984 he recorded for Hollywood films such as “Heat and Dust”. In 1993 he performed along with Ustad Allah Rakha Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain in one of the rooms at the House of Commons where eminent persons were in attendance to witness a rare musical performance at the seat of Government. It was this time when he became a regular artist for BBC Radio London. He was also interviewed for the BBC world service and also composed the musical track for the BBC 2 documentary “London Calling”(1997).
He has several albums to his credits such as Piya Basanti (2000), Ustad & the Divas, Ustad Sultan Khan & his friends, Shoonya, Bhoomi and Pukaar (with Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan), etc.
He won numerous musical awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Gold Medal Award of Maharashtra State, American Academy of Artists Award (1998). In 1997 he was asked to perform at Prince Charles' 50th birthday celebrations.

His prominent disciples are son Sabir Khan, nephew Dilshad Khan, Ikram khan & Dr. Kashyap Dave, Anand Vyas and Deeyah - a Norwegian singer. He died on 27 November 2011 in Mumbai, India after a prolonged illness.