Kathmandu, May 25: Renowned Nepali sarod maestro Sudarshan Rajopadhyay has been honoured with the prestigious Kalakshetram title in Pune, India, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to music and cultural promotion. The award was presented to Rajopadhyay during Bharat Utsav 2026, organized recently by the Akhil Lokkala Cultural Organization in Maharashtra’s cultural city of Pune.
According to the Organization’s General Secretary, Dr. Pramod Nanavare, the Bharat Utsav featured performances by more than 3,500 artists from various Indian states, showcasing classical and folk art forms including Bharatanatyam and Kathakali and dramas.
Sarod maestro Rajopadhyay was invited to serve as one of the jury members at the week-long cultural festival held from May 16 to 22. He was feted with the distinguished Kalakshetram honour during the event in recognition of his artistic brilliance and international contribution to music. Over the years, Rajopadhyay has played a significant role in promoting Nepali art and culture on international platforms.
He has previously received several honours in India, including the ‘Surtaal International Honor Award 2025’, ‘Vividhta Mein Ekta National Award 2020,’ ‘Indian Besties Award 2019’ and the title of ‘Sangeetmanjari’ from the government of West Bengal. Likewise, he was also awarded the ‘Swarnapatra’ honour in Gujarat, India by Surili Sanjh organization. In Nepal, Rajopadhyay had bagged first prize in the district-level music competition organized by Radio Nepal in 2002.
He has also earned accolades such as the ‘Shastra Samman 2018’ and the Save the Nation Award as well as other awards and honours. Apart from his mastery of the sarod, the stringed musical instrument which is much smaller than the sitar, Rajopadhyay has released numerous musical albums and recordings.
His Nepali works include Palpal, Paanisari, and Tyo Raat, while his Nepal Bhasa compositions include Nasala, Hasna, Chhanhuninhu, and Chhagu Matina.
In the classical genre, he has produced works such as One Day Ragas, Soulful Music for Meditation and Surili Music in 2015 released in India.
