Ankush N Nayak

Born and raised in Mangalore, Ankush began learning sitar at the age of nine under Ustad Rafique Khan, a sixth-generation maestro of the Dharwad Gharana. His training expanded through an in-depth study of the Carnatic tala system under Ghatam Vidwan Trichy K. R. Kumar and advanced mentorship from the legendary sarod virtuoso Pt. Buddhadev Das Gupta at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata.

His artistry has been recognized across India through distinctions that include First Place at the All India Radio National Music Competition in 2009, A-Grade recognition from All India Radio and Doordarshan, the Ravi Koppikar Award, the Avinash Hebbar Memorial Yuva Puraskar, the Dakshina Kannada Rajyotsava Award, and the Kala Aparanji Award.

Alongside a vibrant classical concert life, Ankush has cultivated an exploratory fusion voice through Bhairav, an Indo-Western project that opens dialogue between raga, rhythm, and global musical languages. He has performed across India and internationally in the United States, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, and beyond.

Beyond the concert stage, Ankush works at the intersection of education and technology. He serves as Director of Information Technology at Expert Group of Institutions, Mangalore, with academic training that includes a B.Tech from NITK Surathkal, an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Arizona, and professional study in digital transformation from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.