Bunu Rai Manandhar

Navneet Aditya Waiba is a Nepali folk singer, songwriter, and cultural researcher from Siliguri, West Bengal. She is the daughter of the late Hira Devi Waiba, the first professional Nepali folk singer. After her mother’s passing in 2011, Navneet left her career as a senior flight purser in Hong Kong to revive and preserve her family’s musical legacy. Together with her brother Satya Aditya Waiba, she launched the tribute album Ama Lai Shraddhanjali in 2017, re-recording her mother’s iconic songs using traditional instruments and arrangements. Navneet’s music focuses on authentic Nepali folk traditions, especially highlighting women’s voices and rural narratives. She collaborates with the Kathmandu-based folk band Kutumba and continues to perform across South Asia. Navneet is widely respected for her commitment to cultural preservation and her efforts to inspire younger generations to reconnect with their roots through music.

Born on April 14, 1977, in Byasi, Bhaktapur, she is the eldest daughter of Krishna Bdr Rajchal and Purna Kesari Rajchal. Growing up in a musically inclined family, she was inspired by her father’s love for the harmonium. Her musical journey began early—by class four, she was already performing in school programs and learning harmonium under Hari Prasad Bati. She completed her schooling at Prabhat English Boarding School and Sharda Secondary School, and later earned a bachelor’s degree from Lalit Kala Campus. Her passion for music led her to Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata, where she earned a second bachelor's degree, followed by a master’s degree at Lalit Kala Campus upon her return to Nepal. She also holds a vocal diploma from Pragya Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. During her studies in India, she had the opportunity to perform with an orchestra group on Rabindranath Tagore’s birthday, a turning point that helped shape her musical identity. It was in college that she discovered the sitar, an instrument that would become her primary medium of expression. Her professional career officially began in 2004 with the recording of her first song. In 2005, she released her debut album, "The Tradition", and followed it with "Talking Strings" in 2012, showcasing her evolving artistry and mastery of the sitar. Between these releases, she actively toured cities across Nepal and India, including Nepalgunj, Pune, Jharkhand, Nagpur, and Kolkata, bringing her music to diverse audiences. Her journey reflects a deep commitment to classical music and a lifelong dedication to preserving and sharing its beauty through performance and education.

Suresh Raj Bajracharya is one of Nepal’s foremost sarod maestros, known for his deep devotion to classical music and his role in preserving the rich heritage of Hindustani instrumental traditions. With over three decades of experience, he has become a revered figure in Nepal’s music scene, performing at venues like Yala Mandala and collaborating with artists such as Laxmi Prasad Dangol and Mannu Shahi. His compositions—like “Intransient Nature”, “Childhoodness”, and “Jaya Namah Shree Buddha”—blend meditative ragas with spiritual depth. Bajracharya is also known for his unique offering to the Living Goddess Kumari, where he sought to teach her the sarod as a gesture of cultural devotion. His albums, including The Nature, are available on platforms like Deezer. Through teaching, composing, and performing, Suresh Raj Bajracharya continues to inspire a new generation of classical musicians in Nepal and beyond.

First entry in music: with children's song in Radio Nepal competition in 1985 First playback singing: ka bata kachhuwa chorus/ (movie- chot) First solo song: kasari samjhu ma( album-Bina Mausam ko Barsaat/1989) First solo album: Ragini (2003) No of songs: around 300 (nepali, newari, hindi, punjabi) No of album released: 22 First visualised Song: chithi pathauchhu (2003) Musical tours: -inside Nepal : Pokhara, Narayanghat, Nepalgunj, Solukhumbu, -outside Nepal: London,Bombay, Scotland, Switzerland,Beijing(china), Dubai Prizes won: Different prizes in cultural progrms by different organisations. NYC Celebrity singer of the Year 2006 in UK, Global motion picture award 2019 Dubai Recent released album: Revival(2014) Recently performed first solo program SUR SADHANA on magh 26 2076 at Sanskritik sansthan,nachghar, Jamal