Nishant Panicker was initiated into Hindustani classical music at the age of six. After initial training under Shri Ananth Hegde, he received vocal lessons and early inspiration from the renowed sarod maestro Pt. Rajeev Taranath. While Taranathji seemed tough and demanding to the seven year old, by the time Nishant was nine, he was imbibing the art of raga elaboration and taan creation. When Taranathji moved to Mysore, he entrusted Nishant to Vidushi Lalit J Rao, doyenne of the Agra-Atrauli Gharana. With Lalitji’s caring, encouragement and astute guidance over the past nine years, Nishant has blossomed into a delightful performer with confidence and skill raga vistar, layakari and bol banaav, inline with the Agra tradition.

At 18, Nishant is among the youngest in the country to have received the prestigious NCPA (National Center for Performing Arts) scholarship for Hindustani Vocal Music awarded to outstanding young vocal musicians. He was also one of the youngest vocal finalists in the All India competition Naad Bhed conducted by SPIC MACAY and Door Darshan.