BAND PROFILE

Nepathya is one name in Nepali Music - which has gained consistent popularity and social recognition. During the past 25 years of its existence, Nepathya has been the trendsetter. They have been the pioneers in blending folk melodies into youth-friendly pop and rock format. Folk melodies have remained the life force of Nepathya. Apart from folk, Nepathya's songs also portray contemporary Nepal - its pain at times of war and distress, and yet the ray of hope an artist sees and imagines.

Critics address Nepathya as the Most Earthy Nepali Band.

BAND – BACKGROUND INFO

Formed in 1990 by Deepak Rana (now a Chopper pilot), Bhim Poon (now settled in Hong Kong), and Amrit Gurung, Nepathya has, in these last several decades, providing a platform to many musicians. It has seen 21 new faces come and go, but the name Nepathya and its popularity still consistently exist. Nepathya has been a platform for talented musicians. As music is yet to become a sustainable profession in Nepal, long-term commitments from musicians remain rare.

Amrit Gurung has remained the guardian, leader, and currently the lead vocalist of Nepathya. With over 10 albums to its credit, Nepathya from its Chhekyo Chhekyo (छेक्यो छेक्यो) days (released in the early 90s) to Jomsome Bazaarma (जोमसोमे बजारमा, released mid-90s) to Resham (रेशम, released 2001) to Bhedako Oon Jasto (भेडाको ऊनजस्तो, released 2003) has maintained its consistency in the market. Nepathya's 7th album was called Ghatana …incidents of Nepal. Ghatana (घटना) was a musical expression of Nepal as Nepali people lived through the 2003-2005 conflict struck Nepal.

8th album Mero Desh (मेरो देश, released 2010) is a compilation of songs based on Nepathya's musical expression of current Nepal. Few songs are fresh and newly recorded, few are from it's back-catalogue which Nepathya still thinks is relevant and few have come in re-arranged and re-recorded forms.

Nepathya's 9th album Aina Jhyal (ऐना झ्याल, released 2010), is a continuity of Nepthya's folk-rock genre. An outcome of Amrit's travel to the villages and the positive and peaceful direction the nation is heading after conflict and political transition.

After the ninth album, Nepathya has released several singles with numbers like Shirphoola Siraima (शिरफूल शिरैमा), Nanina Taala (नैन ताल), Sainli Morilai (साइँली मोरीलाई). Ten such singles have been compiled as the tenth album - Album X. The 11th album commenced with the single Bhatbhate (भटभटे, released 2022).

MUSICIANS

Amrit Gurung

Amrit is the founding member of Nepathya. He is currently the band leader, composer and the lead vocalist of the band.

Since 1990 when the band was formed, Amrit has been part of Nepathya in all the shows in Nepal and abroad which includes Hong Kong, Japan, UK, USA, South Korea, Holland, Belgium, Finland, India, Australia, and Israel.

His social and peace initiative during the past decade in Nepal has been highly regarded by all sectors of the society.

Apart from Nepathya, Amrit heads the music wing under nepa~laya and is also involved in doing research of folk music in Nepal for which he travels extensively through the country.

Dhurba Lama

Dhurba has been a drummer with Nepathya since 2001. With a short break, Dhurba rejoined the band in 2009 and has been involved in all of the Band’s activities since. Dhurba has performed in various shows with the band in Nepal and abroad which includes: USA, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Israel, and Australia.

Suraj Kumar Thapa

Suraj Joined Nepathya as a keyboardist in 2003. Since then, Suraj has performed various shows with the Band in Nepal and abroad which includes: America, South Korea, Holland, Belgium, Finland, India, Australia, Hong Kong and Israel.

In addition to Nepathya, Suraj is a music teacher at various elementary schools, gives private piano lessons and plays violin as well. He has also contributed as musician, arranger and coordinator of nepa~laya's musical project Paleti. Paleti features senior artists of Nepali Music.

Subin Shakya

Subin Joined Nepathya in 2004 as a Bass Guitarist. Subin has performed various shows with the Band in Nepal and abroad which includes South Korea, Holland, Belgium, Finland, India, Australia, Hong Kong and Israel.

Niraj Gurung

Niraj joined the band in 2008. Since 2008, Niraj has perfomed with Nepathya nationally and internationally. His international tour includes Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, India and Israel.

Shanti Bahadur Rayamajhi

Shanti Bahdur Rayamajhi was a percussionist with Nepathya in 2001-2002. He then left the band to concentrate in his teaching career as well as session playing. He is back with the band since 2010 and since then has done several shows in Nepal and abroad. His international tour with the band includes a tour to Hong Kong, India, Israel and Australia. Shanti specialises in percussion instruments, especially madal, a traditional Nepali folk percussion.

MANAGEMENT

Kiran Krishna Shrestha

Kiran is the Team Leader / Chairperson of Nepa~laya – the management company of Nepathya. Kiran played a vital role in reviving and putting together Nepathya since 2001.

Kiran has been the official promoter / manager of the band since 2002.

He has travelled with the band since then during all performances in Nepal and abroad which includes – USA, South Korea, Holland, Belgium, Finland, India, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel.

In addition to Music / event management, Nepa~laya is involved with Filmmaking and Publication.(www.nepalaya.com.np). Kiran is the Publisher of the publication wing and Chief Producer of the production wing of Nepalaya.

Arpan Sharma

Arpan Sharma is the co-founding Director – Public relations of nepa~laya. He and Kiran has been co-managing nepa~laya and Nepathya since 2002. Arpan has extensively travelled with the band within Nepal and beyond. He has been travelling around the world to promote the band and Nepali music. His recent role in Band’s tours has been to travel to venues before the Band travels and check on technical, logistics and other arrangement in advance and also coordinate and deal with the local organising bodies. Arpan has travelled intensively to Australia, UK, EU nations, Japan, South Korea, India to promote the band and Nepalaya activities.

Alka Shrestha (Maskey)

Alka is the Administation and Finance manager of nepa~laya – the management company of Nepathya. Alka has been coordinating and managing various affairs including logistic management of the band’s tours since 2003. She has travelled with the band extensively in Nepal and also accompanied the band during their tour in Holland, Belgium and Israel.

Saijan Maskey

Saijan is the Chief executive of production, promotion and publication wing of Nepalaya, she deals with promotion and production of nepa~laya related music and events. Saijan has worked and travelled entensively with Nepathya during its tour in Nepal since 2004, and also works as the event producer for Nepathya events.

Pradip Khanal

Pradip is the accounts officer of Nepalaya and hence Nepathya. He has managed accounts for Nepathya since 2003 and has also extended his expertise as an event production coordinator.

TECHNICAL

Padam Bahadur Bajracharya

Padam is a video editor by profession and also specializes in live video projection for concerts. Padam has been the official editor and video projection in charge of Nepathya and nepa~laya since 2003. He has edited numerous documentaries related to the band which includes the acclaimed Bheda ko oon jasto… In search of a song. He has also directed and edited the band's tour film Musician's call.

He has travelled intensively with the band during the band's peace concert tours and has accompanied the band as a video projection expert during the band's tour in India and Australia as well.

Sudip Bista

Sudip is the sound coordinator at Nepalaya and has worked closely with the Band since 2006. He has been part of all Nepathya concert tours in Nepal since 2006 and has also travelled to South Korea and India as sound engineer of the band.