Ranjit Gazmer

Born 1941-10-03 · Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

Ranjit Gazmer is a legendary music director and percussionist who revolutionized both Nepali and Indian cinema by introducing the Madal to Bollywood. Born in Darjeeling on October 3, 1941, he was mentored by the maestro Amber Gurung and later moved to Mumbai in 1971, where he became a core member of R.D. Burman’s musical team for nearly three decades. His Madal rhythms are iconic in Bollywood classics like "Kanchi Re Kanchi Re" from Hare Rama Hare Krishna and songs in Sholay, Ghar, and 1942: A Love Story. Simultaneously, he dominated the Nepali "Golden Age" of cinema as a composer, creating timeless soundtracks for blockbusters such as Kusume Rumal, Lahure, Saino, Chino, and Darpan Chhaya. He is also credited with giving Udit Narayan his big break in the film Bansuri and facilitating Asha Bhosle’s first Nepali film recordings. Married to Kusum Gazmer, he continues to live in Mumbai while remaining an active and revered mentor for the Himalayan music scene, as detailed in his 2022 biography Mohani Madalko.