Sundar Kumar Maharjan

Mohan Sundar Shrestha was a distinguished Nepali sarod player who dedicated nearly five decades of his life to the art of sarod performance. Despite losing vision in both eyes, he made an extraordinary contribution to the development and promotion of sarod music in Nepal. Early Life and Musical Training He was born in Kilagal, Kathmandu, Nepal. At the age of 12, he began learning the sarod under the guidance of senior sitar and sarod maestro Narayan Prasad Shrestha. His formal musical journey began in 1970, marking the start of a lifelong devotion to classical instrumental music. Professional Career In 2026 B.S., Shrestha joined Rastriya Nachghar (National Theatre) as a staff musician. From 2037 to 2068 B.S., he worked on a contractual basis as a musician at Radio Nepal. His sarod compositions were featured in songs by singer Shiv Shankar, bringing classical depth to Nepali music. He also served as a court musician at the former Royal Palace of Nepal and officially retired in 2007. A significant milestone in his life came in 2042 B.S. (1985 A.D.), when he was granted the opportunity to perform before King Birendra. After the performance, the King praised his artistry and inquired about his well-being. Upon learning of his wish for stable employment, the King recommended him to perform regularly at the Royal Palace. As a result, Shrestha performed sarod at royal events for 22 years. Following an unexpected retirement notice from Radio Nepal without prior information, he continued his musical journey by performing regularly at Hotel Annapurna. Performances and Contributions Throughout his career, he performed at several prominent venues and religious sites including: Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple, Ram Mandir Battisputali, Yala Maya Kendra & Rastriya Nachghar. He also released instrumental albums titled Favorite and Favorite–2, which featured sarod melodies cherished by classical music enthusiasts. Passing Mohan Sundar Shrestha passed away on 24 Falgun 2077 B.S. (March 8, 2021), at 6:40 PM at Green City Hospital in Kathmandu at the age of 80. Legacy Despite the immense challenges of losing his eyesight, Mohan Sundar Shrestha remained devoted to music throughout his life. His dedication, resilience, and mastery of the sarod have left a lasting legacy in Nepal’s classical music tradition. He is remembered as one of the pioneering figures in Nepali sarod performance.

Nikhil Tuladhar is a pioneering Nepali drummer and percussionist from Kathmandu, celebrated for his versatility across rock, fusion, jazz, and folk traditions. A three‑time nationwide Best Drummer award winner, he has powered bands such as Mukti & Revival, Trikaal, Connection, Project One, and spent nine years with Nepathya. Known for popularizing the djembe in Nepal’s mainstream music, he has toured internationally and now mentors emerging artists as an instructor at the Nepal Music Center.

The remarkable Nepalese guitarist, arranger Dinesh Shrestha, was born on 25th January 1978 A.D. in Putalisadak, Kathmandu, Nepal to father Kashi Bahadur Shrestha and mother Ram Kumari Shrestha. Dinesh Shrestha was an accomplished guitarist, and was best known there for his rock/blues playing and one of the founder members of “The Buds Band”. Dinesh Shrestha was taught initially by his guru Phiroj Shyangden (guitarist and founder member of 1974 A D Band) on ‘Do Re Mi Music Institute’ in Kathmandu, but it soon became apparent that the boy was a gifted guitarist. Dinesh Shrestha was appeared and performed at “Shikhar Beat Contest” for the first time at Katmandu about 1994 A.D. and making enough of an impression that the famous guitarist. His band also participated in other competition like “Tuborg Music Festival’99”whne they got the first position as “The Band Of the Year” and after they participated on other programs like “Mahashivaratri Music Festival’99”,”Kathmandu Utsav’99”, “Beat Competition’98” and more than fifty programs and concerts. He made his official debut from famous Nepalese band “The Buds” from 1994 A.D. as a lead guitarist including other band members Sudip Singh (Rhythm), Bijaya Karki (Bass/Vocal), Dipesh Shrestha (Drummer/Vocal), Sushil Shrestha (Rhythm), and received reviews that noted a strong, clean tone and a polished though undemonstrative technique. The first album titled “Birsana Sakdina” including nine songs titled “Birsana Sakdina”, ‘Bihani Ko Mirmirema” etc and Second album “Buds 2” which was popular amongst Nepalese people. He had performed by the early 1990's within the various parts of country and has since performed with outstanding success playing both solo and with Band and regularly on radio and television. Now with business and academic reasons he is separated with his band members and no new project will be plan for till now.

Razan Chaudhari is a Nepali lead guitarist known for his versatile playing across studio recordings, live concerts, and collaborative music projects. Skilled in both electric and acoustic styles, he contributes melodic lead lines, clean arrangements, and modern Nepali guitar textures to a wide range of musical settings.Active in various recording studios, Razan has worked as a session guitarist supporting artists with guitar tracking, arrangement ideas, and performance‑ready compositions. His experience extends to reality‑show stages, where he performs as part of live bands, delivering reliable accompaniment in high‑pressure broadcast environments