A Day with Dr. Lochan Rijal

 

                                                                                            Photo Source: Google 


We spent 3 hours of a day with Dr. Lochan Rijal, Nepal’s first ethnomusicologist and the head of Kathmandu University’s music department. His life story felt both down‑to‑earth and motivating.

Dr. Lochan Rijal grew up in a small village in eastern Nepal, where the local school Jai Narayan Adarsha had been founded by his grandfather and father. It was there that he first encountered a guitar, an experience that reshaped his life. After moving to the city in Grade 8, he was spotted singing with friends by a record company, which advanced him 30,000 rupees to record a song. He spent that money on food and medicine for his family, a gesture that grounded his early success. The resulting track, “Koma,” became a nationwide sensation, winning four major awards and turning him into an overnight pop star. Yet despite the sudden fame, Dr. Rijal remained committed to learning and growing beyond the spotlight.

Dr. Rijal pointed out that music is more than creative expression; it provides livelihoods for a wide range of people, from instrument builders and sound engineers to streaming‑service teams. Each song carries cultural value while functioning like a small business, and recognizing both roles allows musicians to earn a fair living while safeguarding their musical heritage.

Today Dr. Rijal researches the ways music moves through everyday life and across communities. He shared a photo of a village girl who, despite never taking a formal lesson, absorbed songs and rhythms simply by growing up in a musical environment proof, he believes, that music is everywhere and can make other school subjects clearer and more enjoyable. A visit to Kathmandu University with musicians Nabin Bhattarai and Pranil Timalsina later convinced him that teaching would let him spread his love of music even farther.

Dr. Rijal reminds us, is a bridge that joins math, language, science, and emotion in one vibrant activity. Its rewards also feel richer when shared, as he proved by spending his first earnings on his family’s needs. His own path from village boy to pop star to university professor shows how curiosity lets us continually reinvent ourselves, while his dedication to studying and teaching local music underscores the importance of preserving culture even as we welcome fresh ideas. In blending passion, learning, and generosity, Dr. Rijal proves that these values can coexist in a single life and invites each of us to find and follow our own melody.


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