Madan Pariyar

Suraj Nepal, The Esraj player born in Nepal started a love affair with music since his childhood. He grew up listening to folk and religious tunes played during various festivals in Kathmandu. At the age of 10 he started playing madal (A Nepali percussion) and started singing folk songs since his school days. As years passed, his interest in eastern classical music and instruments grew. That’s when he met a musician friend of a relative that introduced him to Esraj and encouraged him to learn the instrument. He learnt Esraj from Guru Santosh Bhakta Shrestha who then was the only person in Nepal to play the instrument. He too was his only disciple. He received a diploma in Esraj and in 2007. Since then he’s won many accolades, performed with many international artists, played many projects, bands and function. He’s benchmark performances include Playing for Change Organization, Varanasi International Ashram, Udaipur Shilpgram Festival, CPI NTOK 2014 Korea and Wumeng Grassland Music Festival China 2016, Inner Mongolia China 2018 & Wilma Israel 2019 etc.

Sharmila Pandey (Budhathoki) is a leading Nepali film producer known for shaping modern Nepali cinema through acclaimed films such as Love Love Love (2017), Ghar (2017), Changa Chait (2019), Aama (2020), Chiso Manchhe (2022), and the Indo‑Nepali thriller Parastree (2023). Her work is recognized for strong storytelling, genre diversity, and high production standards, earning her multiple national honors and establishing her as one of Nepal’s most influential contemporary producers.

Laxmi Prasad Joshi, popularly known as LP Joshi, was a pioneering Nepali folk singer and composer celebrated for introducing the traditional Binayo to a global audience through his iconic creation “Riting Riting Nabajau Binayo, Binayole Man Mero Chhinayo.” Born in 1993 BS in Dhankuta‑6, Beechbazar, he devoted his life to the preservation and promotion of Nepali lok‑sanskriti. Recognized with the title Lokgeet Samrat, Joshi produced widely loved songs such as Riting Riting, Vallo Kholo Pallo Kholo, Nigalo Gharima Chyakhura Nachyo, and Khipima Khipi Binayo Baja. Beginning his artistic journey in 2008 BS through dance, he expanded into painting, singing, and literature, sharpening his multidisciplinary talent. His first recorded song appeared in 2013 BS, and by 2020 BS most of his works were already documented. Joshi passed away at age 88 on 2081 Saun 10, leaving behind a lasting cultural legacy.