Hrishikesh Majumdar, Shikhar Naad Qureshi win prestigious CMA Clef Music Award for album "Beats and Winds"

MUMBAI: The third generation of the legacy comes together. Hrishikesh Majumdar, son of flute wizard Padmashri Ronu Majumdar and Shikhar Naad Qureshi, son of famous percussionist Taufiq Qureshi, have won the prestigious CMA CLEF Music Award for their album "Beats and Winds."

"I feel so proud of both the musicians coming together and making beats and winds and winning the “clef music award” Shikhar Naad Qureshi and Hrishikesh Majumdar are the third generation of their great legacy of Ustad Allah Rakha Khan sahab and my father Dr Bhanu majumdar. I am sure they will make many great projects in the coming future. And make us proud," said Ronu Majumdar.

Hrishikesh Majumdar is ecstatic about collaborating with Qureshi. "Working with Shikhar Naad Qureshi on "Beats and Winds" has been an extremely enriching experience. He comes from a profound lineage of rhythm, and the way he approaches percussion is both traditional and innovative. Our collaboration was very organic, the bansuri and the percussions found a natural dialogue, almost like a conversation between wind and heartbeat. It felt less like composing and more like discovering music together," he said.

As for carrying forward a legacy, Hrishikesh Majumdar said that the feeling is overwhelming. "I come from a family where music is not just performance but a way of life. But instead of pressure, I see it as a blessing and a responsibility to honor what has been handed down while also shaping it for today’s generation. Fusion, for me, is a bridge between tradition and modernity, and this project reflects exactly that spirit," he said.

"With Beats and Winds, Shikhar and I wanted to show how two distinct yet complementary voices can create something fresh while still rooted in heritage. This award is not just for us, but for the idea that tradition can evolve and still remain timeless," he said.

Noted percussionist Taufiq Qureshi said that he was proud of his son Shikhar Naad Qureshi and Hrishikesh Majumdar who joined hands for the album and have won the prestigious award. "Shikhar is my son and Hrishikesh is also like my son. The two boys have made us proud and I am sure they will come out with more such wonderful works in future," he said.

About his musical legacy and collaboration with Hrishikesh, Shikhar Naad Qureshi said: "To have been born into a family of maestros has been the greatest blessing for me. I see myself just as a student of music and consider it my duty to do my best with whatever knowledge has been passed down upon me."

He speaks very highly of Hrishikesh." Hrishikesh is more like a brother to me. He is one of the brilliant contemporary musicians that I got to work with. This is just the beginning of our journey. We both have a long way to go and will hopefully get to work with each other a lot more in the future.

I am thankful to Hrishikesh for considering me for this wonderful collaboration," he said.