Esteemed Indian sitar virtuoso, Professor Dr. Rajesh Shah, will grace Kathmandu with a solo performance on April 2024, coinciding with Nepali New Year 2081 in Baisakh. Former Dean of Banaras Hindu University's Sur Badan Department, Prof. Shah's presentation is a highlight of the upcoming event.

A recent delegation from Achyutaram Bhandari Sangeet Sansthan visited Banaras Hindu University in the renowned city of education and music, Banaras, India. The team, including senior tabla player Achyutaram Bhandari, Sharda Bhandari, Uma Thapa, honorary member of Achyutaram Bhandari Music Foundation, journalist Kishore Kumar Sedai, and Ganga Devi Upreti, central president of Swadesh Foundation Nepal, engaged in fruitful discussions.

During a brief program at the University's Badya Badan Department, Honorary Member and Senior Sitar Player Uma Thapa honored Prof. Rajesh Shah with a Rudraksha garland. The occasion also sparked conversations about deepening the historic ties between Nepal and India through musical collaborations. Plans for future exchange programs between Banaras Hindu University and Achyutaram Bhandari Music Institute were also discussed.

In an interview during the event, journalist Kishore Kumar Sedai spoke with Sitar Maestro Shah about the current landscape, challenges, and the future of Sitar Badan. Prof. Shah shared insights into the desire of students to learn Sitar Badan, acknowledging the challenges of its expense and the need for patience. He highlighted efforts to provide sitar instruments to underprivileged students at his university.

For the New Year 2081 Baisakh program, Prof. Dr. Ramesh Pokharel, Campus Chief of Lalitkala Campus Department in Kathmandu, and TU central Department Professor Dr. Dhrubesh Chandra Regmi, have pledged support to ensure the success of the event. Over the past 25 years, Nepal has maintained a weekly air service to Varanasi, India, known as Purani Kashi—a city of education, music, and pilgrimage. Buddha Air is set to provide special support to make this musical celebration a resounding success.

You can listen to a 7 minutes audio conversation with Dr Shah here: