St Xavier’s college honors fusion guitarist Anil Shahi

KATHMANDU, June 21: Saint Xavier’s College has honored renowned fusion guitarist Anil Shahi, who has been  playing guitar in a classical style for the past 25 years through the ‘10th Father Eugene L Watrin Memorial Cultural Award and Survaahini: a Musical Bliss” on Wednesday.

Shahi, known for his unique blend of classical and contemporary styles, emphasized the importance of preserving classical music. He said, "It is disheartening that there are few listeners of classical music in Nepal, but with dedication and effort, we can promote and spread it not only within the country but also globally."

The event featured a musical performance by Dr Neepa Chaudhary and Sudesh Subedi from the Fusion Roof Band, who captivated the audience by blending Indian classical music with Western elements. The success of this year’s Survaahini event, as in previous years, was credited to the significant contributions of program director Sudhakar Pant and his assistant Saurabh Sharma, both of whom were also honored at the ceremony.

St Xavier's College has been annually recognizing musicians and their invaluable contributions for the expansion and popularization of Nepali classical music among the younger generation. Since its inception in 2005, the program has honored numerous esteemed artists, including Bhajan Shiromani Bhaktaraj Acharya, Kunti Moktan and Sila Bahadur Moktan, Prem Dhoj Pradhan, and Shambhujit Baskota.