Hari Prasad Chaurasia's father was a serious wrestler and wanted desperately for his young son to follow in his footsteps. Not wanting to spend the rest of his life throwing people over, the boy instead grew up to become one of the world's most acclaimed flautists.

"It was difficult but fascinating," says the maestro about his choice. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Indian Council on Cultural Relations are bringing Chaurasia to Nepal to celebrate India's 56th Republic Day and he will perform on his divine flutes at the BICC on 1 Feburary.

Born in Allahabad in 1938 Hari Prasad Chaurasia learned classical vocals at 15 from the noted musician Pandit Rajaram. He might have continued with singing had he not chanced to hear Pandit Bholanath play the flute. So spellbound was young Hari that he immediately began learning to play the wind instrument under his tutelage for eight years. A prodigy of sorts, Hari Prasad quickly mastered the flute and joined the All India Radio while still a teenager.

Chaurasia flourished as a musician as his recitals gained a new depth and expression. In Chaurasia's hand, the flute transformed into a magical instrument expressing the finer nuances of Indian classical music. The title of virtuoso soon followed and he was playing at concerts in India and abroad. He collaborated with many musicians, most famously with John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek and a couple of fusion jazz albums.

Chaurasia's stint in Bollywood also received widespread acclaim for the music he wrote with Shiv Kumar Sharma in Silsila. He is one of the few growing classicists who has made an effort to reach out and expand the genre. He has played at music festivals all over the world and each concert is an experience for Chaurasia. "I treat each concert like the first and last so each becomes memorable to me," he says.

Hari Prasad Chaurasia is known for his innovation and expansion of expressive possibilities on the North Indian flute through masterful blowing techniques and unique adaptations of the alap and jor. Often when you walk into Thamel's book or music shops, the soothing flute sound you hear is Chaurasia's. His best-selling albums include 'Ragas-Morning' with Padma Talwalkar and Amjad Ali Khan, 'Ragas-Afternoon' with Pandit Jasraj and Shahid Parvez, 'Basant Bahar' with Pandit Jasraj, 'Megh Malhar' with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, the famous 'Soundscape&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'&#'216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;216;', 'Maestro's Choice', 'Nothing but Wind' and 'The Elements'.

Chaurasia's musical repertoire extends beyond North Indian art music to Indian folk, Indian popular and western music. Equally impressive was his experimental album 'Eternity' which incorporated many western elements alongside North Indian art music.

Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia is scheduled to perform on 1 February at the BICC at 5.30 PM. Passes are available at the Indian Embassy.