Harimohan Sharma's life revolves around two words: music and riyaz. Music is his world and riyaz is his medicine.
Both of them are my lifelines. Music acts as a healer for all diseases. It takes you to a different world altogether," says the 36-year-old artist. Sharma wishes to dedicate his entire life to music and impart his skills to the coming generation. And this very wish forced him to come back to India leaving behind a promising career abroad.
Hailing from a traditional family of classical music, and now settled in Vaishali's Sector 4 residence, his love for art is in his blood. He has participated in many prestigious music concerts in India and abroad both as a soloist and an accompanist and has been featured regularly on television and All India Radio.

Initial stage
An MA in tabla, Harimohan started learning tabla (Banaras gharana) at the tender age of 10 from his father Pandit Tota Ram Sharma. Later, he took guidance from Shri Subhash Nirwan (Delhi gharana), (Ajrara gharana) with Shri Shri Chandra Aggarwal of Ajmer who was a disciple of Ustad Habib-ud-din Khan and also learnt pakhawaj from his father. The renowned artist got his first big break at the Thai-Bharat Mahotsav at the tender age of 14.

On the professional front
He has accompanied famous artists like sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, sitar maestro Late Pandit DR Parvatikar, Padma Shri Shovana Narayan, Rani Khanam and many more. He taught tabla at the Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo, Surinam. He taught more than 100 students in countries like Surinam, Guyana, Holland, Australia, UK, USA, Canada, Nepal, Russia and India thus, promoting tabla. "It was not about the money but the affection that was showered upon us by the Indian natives. They have conserved culture more profusely than us," he says.

The art speaks
He has also brought glory to the country by performing at Bharat Mahotsava, Thailand, Golden week festival, Cormell festival, Isreal, etc. "We have mini India all over the world, created by Indians living outside. They learn music, Sanskrit, organise baithak gayaki, serve pan. It was like our own world with a little difference in the accent," says Harimohan. He has been visiting Rohempton once a year regularly from 2004 to 2006, London, St. James Public School Hammersmith, London. He has been associated with ICCR from quite long and has been performing all over the world through Indian Embassies as well.

The return journey
"The decision to live abroad and impart my knowledge there was to spread the culture all over the world. But then the urge to come back became strong. We wanted to instil Indian culture in our kids so we decided to come back," says Harimohan, a father of two talented kids.

His milestones
He has many awards under his kitty, which include UNICEF Children's award 1986, Sahitya Kala Parishad Award 1992, Surinam Baithak Award etc. He has also been honoured by Sheikh Hasina.

At present
He is currently president of Braj Sangeet Parishad Vrindavan and Vaishali. He is also imparting training in tabla to Indian and foreign students following the pattern of the guru-shishya parampara. Also a senior music teacher in Alhcon Public School, he can still be seen hovering around in Mandi House with his co artists. "I took up the school job as I wanted the kids of present generation rooted to their culture. It is quite satisfactory to see small kids taking keen interest in art," he adds.

—Meghna Jain