Musician Niladri Kumar-Creator of Instrument Zitar

Niladri Kumar is the famous Indian classical and fusion musician. He plays with instruments, Sitar and Zitar. He is an unconventional rare artist who plays with instruments, carrying a deep understanding of traditional and classical styles of music and instruments.

Early Life of Niladri Kumar

Niladri was born to Kartick Kumar who was also a sitar player. Kartick Kumar was a disciple of Ravi Shankar. Niladri started learning under his father at the age of just four. He had inclination towards Indian classic music since very beginning and gave his first performance at the age of six at Shri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry.

Career of Niladri Kumar

Niladri Kumar is active in Indian classic music and was a part of the Masters of the Percussion tour where he participated with the renowned Zakir Hussain. Few of the famous work of Niladri Kumar are:

1. He has been a part of the album “Kali’s Son” with Jonas Hellborg and V. Selvaganesh
2. He has worked with John McLaughlin on album “Floating Point”
3. Niladri has given his performance in bollywood also and worked with some of the famous singers and musicians like, A.R. Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Pritam Das
4. Niladri is a winner of MTV Immies award
5. He was conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi ‘s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar in March 2017
6. He is also a winner of the MN Mathur Award in the 51^st Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Samaroh to recognize his contribution to Indian classical music in March, 2013

Niladri Kumar is the inventor of “Zitar”

Kumar is said to be the creator of an instrument, “Zitar”. It’s a combination of sitar and guitar. Kumar added an electric pickup inside this instrument to make it sound like a guitar.

He got an idea to make the instrument from a travelling sitar. Kumar modified this to create rock guitar sound of it and also reduced the number of strings it had from 20 to five.

He did some experiments with the instrument and used it in 2008 in his first album, “Zitar”.

Famous Nick names of Niladri Kumar

Niladri Kumar is famously known with many names like, “A Maverick Musician, “The Game Changer”, “A Path Bender”, “Mastermind behind the Classical ‘Zing’” and many others.