About
Bipul Chettri is an Indian singer-songwriter from Kalimpong, Darjeeling, based in New Delhi, who sings in Nepali and plays Himalayan folk-rock with a contemporary touch, performing with his live group The Travelling Band. Active since 2013, he is one of the most beloved independent artists in India and across the Nepali-speaking world.
Bipul Chettri's song Wildfire (Dadhelo), uploaded to SoundCloud in 2013, spread across Nepali playlists worldwide and laid the foundation for his debut album Sketches of Darjeeling (2014). Its follow-up Maya (2016), the EP Samaya (2021) and the ongoing album Pravah (2025-26) deepened his reputation as the leading voice of Himalayan indie folk. A trained classical guitarist and, from 2022, a Grammy voting member, he tours extensively with The Travelling Band, remaining one of India's most cherished independent musicians.
The artistry
Bipul Chettri's music harmonically blends Nepali folk with contemporary folk-rock, his warm, velvety voice and acoustic guitar carrying songs steeped in the imagery of the Eastern Himalayas, the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, the Teesta river, memory, love and belonging. With The Travelling Band, those intimate songs open into rich, atmospheric live performances that have drawn devoted audiences across India, Nepal and the diaspora.
[Atlas Perspective] Bipul Chettri is a rare artist who is both critically admired and deeply loved by a wide audience, and the pre-eminent voice of Himalayan indie folk. For festivals and events, especially those engaging the Northeast, the hills and the Nepali diaspora, he is a top-tier booking.
Bipul Chettri has given the Nepali-speaking communities of the Eastern Himalayas and the diaspora a defining contemporary voice, and brought Nepali folk-rock to national and international prominence. He is a central figure in the modern indie music of the hills and among India's most beloved independent artists.