Bio

My artistic journey began at the age of six with tabla lessons, a privilege I enjoyed growing up in a Bengali household. However, it wasn’t until my undergraduate years at the University of Delhi, where I joined the music society and picked up the classical guitar, that I discovered my true passion. Music has now become my preferred mode of expression, with the bass guitar being the instrument that resonates with me the most. It has given me the freedom to channel my emotions and connect with my innermost self, allowing me to create melodies that transcend boundaries and touch the hearts of my listeners. I am currently a practicing musician, composer, producer, and sound designer based in New Delhi, India. My expertise lies in experimental sound design, and I have had the privilege of exploring this realm in both live performances and recording spaces.

Despite completing my formal education in Computer Sciences (B.IT, Delhi University), my passion for music never waned. Throughout my career, I have collaborated with artists and collectives across art forms, continuously pushing the boundaries of sound and music in innovative ways. Notably, I have worked with my political art-rock collective Dastaan LIVE, contemporary dancer and educator Mandeep Reikhy and Navtej Singh Johar, puppet theatre company Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust, multi-arts studio Harkat Studios’ (based in Mumbai and Berlin), and the visionary South Asian visual artist Khwaab Tanha Collective, among others.

I also persisted in playing the bass guitar and it led me to perform and record around the world alongside illustrious musicians like Bernie Marsden (Guitarist – Whitesnake, UK), Susmit Sen (Founder / Guitarist – Indian Ocean / Susmit Sen Chronicles, India), Ricky Kej (two times Grammy award-winning composer / producer, India), Pt. Rajendra Prasanna (Grammy-winning flautist, India), Saibal Basu (Guitar Extraordinaire – Grey Area / Orange Street, India), Abhinav Dhar (Ad-man, Drummer – Grey Area, India), Murad Ali Khan (Sarangi virtuoso – Titi Robin Quintet / Ustad Rashid Khan / Shubha Mudgal / Soul Samvaad, India), Dhruv Sangari (Vocalist – Rooh / Humble Mystics, India), Rabbi Shergill (Punjabi / Sufi singer-songwriter, India), Gianni Denito (Saxophone, Italy), Orosz Zoltan (Accordion virtuoso, Hungary), and many more.

Along the way, I had the privilege of studying bass guitar with renowned musicians Gary Willis (Barcelona, Spain) and Karl Peters (Mumbai, India). These experiences gave me the inspiration and confidence to continue to pursue my passion and follow my dreams.

*Under the tutelage of Michael Harrison, an acclaimed American contemporary classical pianist, I am currently immersing myself in the world of Indian classical and experimental music (in pure intonation). Harrison’s extensive training with legendary figures such as Le Monte Young, Pt. Pran Nath, Mashkoor Ali Khan, and Terry Riley has enriched his knowledge and technique, making him an invaluable guide for my journey in this genre. Through our studies, I am gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of the intricate rhythms, melodies, and experimental approach towards music, as I seek to refine my skills and stay on this journey of exploring music, forever!

As a musician, I have had the privilege of performing at the prestigious MTV-Coke Studio Season 2 alongside the talented Dhruv Sangari. I have been on several national and international tours with various artists and bands, including two unforgettable tours of Africa, covering countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, South Africa, Djibouti, and Rwanda, organized by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. I have also served as a jury member for various schools, colleges, and global organizations, lending my expertise in judging festivals, music, and drama competitions, including the renowned annual inter-school drama festival organized by the British Council, New Delhi in 2012. My talents as a Guitar/Bass Player have won me numerous awards during my undergrad years, including the Jack Daniels Rock Award for best EP, Oritus, in 2006, and recognition from IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Mumbai, BITS Pilani, and Delhi University. In addition to performing in over 700+ venues and festivals, I have also worked as a versatile musician, composer, arranger, and producer on several albums, documentaries, art films, and ad jingles.

My journey in experimental sound has been an exhilarating exploration of creativity, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of sonic artistry within the fields of sound design and sound art.

One of my proudest and most recent achievements is the collaborative project with Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust, where we re-interpreted contemporary artist, Tyeb Mehta’s notable artworks and presented them as a live and immersive puppet theatre show at the KNMA Museum, Delhi, and the Venice Architecture Biennale, 2023 (supported and commissioned by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art). For this production, I took charge of composing the score and sound design, in addition to performing live alongside the repertory. Moreover, I recently composed the score and tracks for Mandeep Raikhy’s new show/piece titled “Hallucinations of an Artifact,” which featured an exciting collaboration with Swiss visual artist and AI practitioner, Jonathan O’Hear, and was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Voices of the South Showcase, 2023 – the show also toured in India and Germany). I am also the Music Director and Sound Designer for Harkat Studio’s upcoming Feature Film (in production).

Apart from this, I recently scored for a project with Theatre and cultural activist – M.K Raina, based on Ashoka’s Edicts, commissioned by Ashoka University and documented and conceptualized in Kashmir, in collaboration with T.M Krishna. I have also been a co-curator on an exhibition called Raqs-o-Mausiqui (Dance and Music) of Awadh at the Sanatkada Arts Festival (which happens every year in Lucknow).

As someone who values both creativity and logic, I have worked in a range of industries including IT, Media, Education, and the Social Sector. However, my true passion has always been the arts. In 2008, I founded ArtTree Academy of Music and Performing Arts, which earned me a nomination for the British Council’s ‘Young Creative Entrepreneur Award’. Since then, I have co-founded four more startups. In addition to my entrepreneurial pursuits, I have been fortunate to participate in several prestigious fellowships, including the ARThink South Asia Fellowship (2015-16), Goethe Institut’s SAMUR Music Residency (Goethe Institut, 2016), ATSA Train the Trainers fellowship (2017-18), and Goethe Institut’s CMDA (Cultural Management for the Digital Age, 2020). When I’m not working or making music, you’ll often find me exploring remote places on my motorcycle. I’ve ridden through Ladakh, Lahaul Spiti, Bhutan, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, and more on my trusty 81′ Royal Enfield motorcycle. I’ve since upgraded to a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, which is currently waiting in my garage for my next adventure.

After my formal education in IT (B.IT) from Delhi University and an executive program in Strategic Marketing from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, I was awarded the merit scholarship for bass guitar at Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai and offered a fellowship in Leadership and Innovation, funded by the Gates Foundation. Opting for the latter, I turned down the scholarship as I aspired to build my own arts enterprise. Although selected for several prestigious programs including Goldsmith, University of London’s MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy, Harvard Business School’s ‘Strategic Non-profit Management’ cohort, THNK’s fellowship in creative leadership, and LEUPHANA University’s Masters in Arts and Cultural Management, personal reasons prevented me from accepting any of these opportunities.

*If you catch me over drinks, I’d be happy to share the stories behind each one.

Apart from being a Musician, Composer and Sound Designer, I have also facilitated workshops and designed curriculum and training programmes in various schools, colleges, and corporate spaces. I have been teaching (Creative Music Exploration and Critical Sound Design) at Ashoka University, Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication, and Sri Ram Centre of Performing Arts (Mandi House).

As a public art practitioner, I have created programs around community engagement and learning spaces with Aagaaz Theatre Trust, an arts-based social organization that works out of Nizamuddin Basti, Delhi.

I am also a part of a collective of artists who come from the Fluxus experimental arts’ scene in New York, with notable composers such as John Cage, Terry Riley, Yoko Ono, Michael Harrison, and Le Monte Young. I am directly working with Michael and Elliot Cole (Michael is currently also teaching at the Manhattan School of Music and Elliot teaches at Princeton University and The Juilliard School of Music) on two programs where we are pushing the limits of music (both Western and Indian) and exploring intersectionalities within different art forms.

I am currently searching for the right sounds while working on my multi-arts live performance project Dastaan LIVE (co-founder / composer / bass guitar payer), an artists-led alternative performance space W.I.P LABS (co-founder), a choir / collective based out of New Delhi and a storytelling project. Apart from this, I love spending my time as the Managing Trustee of an arts-based Not-for-Profit and teaching music, politics, and sound design to young peeps (and old)*.

*Hey there, fellow rockers! If you're lost in the vast musical world and need a hand to hold, I'm your pal. Let's chat about everything from life to motorcycles (because why not?) and I'll steer you away from all the musical mishaps I've encountered. Don't worry though, I have faith you'll figure the rest out on your own, rockstar!