Shakti Ballav

Shila Bahadur Moktan is a veteran Nepali music director, arranger, composer, and multi‑instrumentalist, celebrated for more than five decades of contribution to Nepali music. He is regarded as one of the most respected figures in modern and folk‑influenced Nepali music, known for his refined arrangements, melodic sensibility, and mastery of multiple instruments.Born and raised in Darjeeling, he received formal classical training under J.C. Rai, which shaped his foundation as a composer and instrumentalist. His first recorded song, “Aakha Kahile Najudos,” was broadcast on All India Radio, Kurseong, in the 1980s .Shila Bahadur Moktan has contributed to over 1,200 songs, working as a composer, arranger, and instrumentalist across genres ranging from folk to adhunik Nepali music. His notable early works include folk songs such as “Hoina Maile Dhakeko Badulki Lageko” and “Topi Hataile Bunera,” and the modern classic “Kahile Kahi Malai Pani Herideuna Pharkera,” a song that introduced both Kunti Moktan (vocals) and Shila Bahadur (music) to the Nepali music scene .He is married to legendary singer Kunti Moktan, and together they are considered pillars of Nepali music. Their daughters Subani Moktan and Shital Moktan are also successful musicians, continuing the family’s artistic legacy .After retiring from Music Nepal, Shila Bahadur initially planned to step back from active work, but his passion for music kept him fully engaged in composing, arranging, and performing. He continues to appear in concerts, including the Paleti Series, where he performs his own compositions and vocals .With nearly 50 years in music, he remains an influential figure whose arrangements, compositions, and instrumental work have shaped generations of Nepali music lovers.

Madan Dipbim was a respected Nepali music composer, arranger, and singer, known for shaping the sound of modern Nepali music through his melodic, emotionally rich compositions. Born in Ilam, he built a long career creating songs that became staples of Nepali radio and cassette‑era music. He worked with Radio Nepal for several years, where many of his most popular works were recorded and broadcast nationwide.Across his career, Dipbim composed dozens of beloved songs, including “Surilo Rukh Sallai Ho,” “Timrai Yadma Kalpi Kalpi,” “Jhaskera Dukhchha Yo Mutu Mero,” and “Ke Bhul Bhayo Priya.” These songs remain widely recognized for their lyrical simplicity and heartfelt musical phrasing.In his later years, he lived in the United States with his daughter Mamata Dipbim, herself a singer, while continuing to remain connected to Nepali music and audiences abroad.Madan Dipbim passed away on April 22, 2019, in the United States due to a heart attack. His death was widely mourned as the loss of a gentle, influential, and melodically gifted figure in Nepali music.

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.

Nipesh Dhaka (born 6 October 1981, Pokhara) is a Nepali environmentalist, lyricist, and music composer recognized for his large‑scale environmental music projects and documentary work. He is the creator, lyricist, music composer, and director of the globally recognized environmental anthem “Melancholy,” recorded by 365 Nepali artists at Radio Nepal on 19 May 2016, a project that later achieved the Guinness World Record for “Most Vocal Solos in a Song Recording.”Dhaka holds an M.A./M.Sc. and pursued further studies in Landscape Management, Soil and Water Management at the Technical University of Munich. He has been active since 1999, working across music, environmental advocacy, cinematography, and social campaigns.As the director of SEEM Nepal, he has led multiple environmental awareness initiatives, including research‑based documentaries such as Himalaya Calls (2015), Melancholy (2017), and Rodhan (2017), which explore biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable development across Nepal’s ecological regions.His environmental anthem Melancholy was released on 2 September 2017 by President Bidya Devi Bhandari and certified by Guinness World Records on 1 February 2018. The project featured national icons including Madhav Prasad Ghimire, Udit Narayan Jha, Madan Krishna Shrestha, Hari Bansha Acharya, Prem Dhoj Pradhan, Sambhujeet Baskota, and Rajesh Payal Rai.Dhaka describes himself as an “Environmental Fighter”, working through music, research, and public campaigns to raise awareness on climate issues.