Seturam Shrestha

Seturam Shrestha सेतुराम श्रेष्ठ
Seturam Shrestha in 1941
Born	1891 Asan, Kathmandu, Nepal
Died	1941 Nepal
Parents	Krishna Dhar (father) Hari Devi Shrestha (mother)

Seturam Shrestha (Nepali: सेतुराम श्रेष्ठ) (1891-1941) was a Nepalese musician, singer and composer. He was an important figure in the development of modern music in Nepal at the beginning of the 20th century, and has been hailed as an Ustad. In addition to songs of love, Seturam sang songs with messages of social reform.^[1]

In 1908, he became the first Nepalese artiste to record a song on gramophone disc.^[2][3] Among the songs he recorded in a studio in Kolkata, India was the iconic Rajamati. Janak Lal Shrestha, proprietor of Bhadrakali House, the main record store in Kathmandu then, sponsored the recording session.

Seturam has also been credited with pioneering ghazal music in Nepal. Ghazal is a poetic form with origins in ancient Arabic verse that expresses the beauty of love.^[4][5]

Seturam was born in Asan Kamalachhi, Kathmandu to father Krishna Dhar and mother Hari Devi Shrestha.

References

1. Maharjan, Ashesh; Joshi, Mimansha (December 2008). "International Folk Music Festival 2008". ECS Nepal. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
2. Sthapit, Arhan. "Of Non-Nepalese Born Music Artistes". The Rising Nepal. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
3. Karmacharya, Avash (19 March 2010). "Radio Nepal's archive getting digitized". Republica. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
4. Sthapit, Arhan (2008). "The Ghazal Genre". The Rising Nepal. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
5. Himalayan News Service (20 January 2012). "Creating imprints on the heart". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 12 March 2013.