Lochan Bhattarai

Karma Yonjan is a respected figure in Nepali Adhunik (modern) music, known for his lyrical depth and evocative compositions. Originally from Darjeeling, he gained recognition through his performances in the Paleti music series, where his collaborations with artists like Kumar Subba and Daisy Baraili stood out for their emotional resonance and poetic storytelling. Some of his most beloved works include: “Kati Bujhaaun” — a poignant reflection on emotional endurance, written and composed by Yonjan himself. “Samjhera Bujhera” — a duet with Dil Maya Khati that showcases his melodic sensitivity. “Mechiko Wari Basera” — a nostalgic piece performed with Kumar Subba.

Red cap, white hand bands, white scarf, a locket having picture of eagle and leopard, loose clothes and long pants. Guess who’s he? Off course, he’s Nirnaya Shrestha AKA Nirnaya da NSK. He is the naughty soul kid of Nepali music without whom hip-hop or Rap music can’t even be imagined. While other musicians appeared and then disappeared, none were able to match Nirnaya’s standards. Nirnaya was born on 15th Feb. in Birgunj . His father Dr. Shantinath Shrestha went to America to complete his PHD and Nirnaya too moved with him in 1988. Nirnaya joined school in America but carried on guitar classes. He had X-factor in music from very beginning. He participated on most of his school shows. His singing career started from his very Mt. Loghl schooling in 1990. During those times, rap music was in its growth stage. Since, one could express all his life in a single song easily and could connect with the listeners; he was strongly influenced by it so he learned it. He also bagged president of frequency award in eighth standard. As soon as his father completed his PhD, Nirnaya came back to his land and joined St. Xavier School. He had to take tuitions for basic Nepali alphabet. With a view to introduce rap songs among Nepali listeners, he joined image fm in 1999 and started hosting a program name “Bring the house down”. Later after 5 months, he started recording an album for the same name with his group, “Nirnaya and Da’ all stars”. His group mates were Samir, Pranav Joshi, Shakeel and others. The failure of his group was his group mates’ different musical interests. Then after, Nirnaya joined Samrat. They jointly recorded a song Jhilili….. This song strengthened their relationship. In the mean time Rinchin also joined the team. The motive behind naming their group as “The Rappers’ Union” was just an idea of uniting the rappers. “The rappers’ union” released their first album, “For u all” in 2000. It also included English songs like “For u all” and “The game must go on”. More than 1000 CDs were sold by the Rappers’ Union themselves.

Mukesh Shakya is a young Nepali tabalist and classical musician, known as a disciple of the late maestro Rabin Lal Shrestha. He has performed in classical music sessions organized by the Society of Classical Music Nepal, including their 76th session, where his tabla playing was featured and praised for its precision and depth. Mukesh represents a new generation of Nepali classical artists dedicated to preserving and evolving traditional forms like tabla and Hindustani music. His training under Rabin Lal Shrestha places him in a respected lineage of percussionists, and his public performances reflect a growing commitment to Nepal’s classical music scene