My life as a musician and repairer

Born in London, I have been studying and working in the world of Indian music for 48 years. I have studied tabla under the renowned Ustad Lateef Ahmed Khan and Ustad Faiyaz Khan. I also spent several years learning sitar under the watchful guidance of Ustad Jamaluddin Bhartiya, and later became his accompanist on tabla.

In addition to Ustad Jamaluddin Bhartiya, I have had the privilege of accompanying other esteemed artists, including Uday Bhawalker, Lakshmi Shankar, Prince Rama Varma, and Roshan Jamal in numerous European countries, as well as in New York, the Middle East, and India.

I obtained my Bachelor of Music degree in tabla, with sitar as a secondary subject, at the Rotterdam Conservatorium in 1995.

As one of the five co-founders of ISTAR Nederland, alongside Professors Joep Bor and Wim van der Meer, I was involved in establishing the Indian Music course at the World Music Department of the Rotterdam Conservatorium. Over the years, I have gained extensive experience teaching workshops and lessons on Indian music and the instruments themselves. I have also given lectures at the India Institute and held demonstrations at the Tropical Museum, both in Amsterdam.

For nearly 47 years, I have been involved in the repair and restoration of Indian instruments, with several trips to India to further my expertise. I have had the opportunity to sit with master builders and musicians to learn the craft, and I feel that I have gained a deep understanding of the requirements needed to produce the special sound quality unique to Indian instruments, as well as its potential for enhancement. I am capable of repairing most Indian instruments and can make modifications or improvements if necessary.

In 1996, I submitted a report to the Sangeet Research Academy on the situation regarding Indian musical instruments in the West. I was also involved in a research project with the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai, which explored the possibility of applying Western technical building methods to the Indian music instrument industry.