NS Rajan is a retired senior IRS Officer. He is an avid reader and a sports lover, particularly cricket, having watched many greats in action from the late 1940s (he has played cricket at a fairly competitive level). He loves listening to music of all genres, is fascinated by Hindi film music of the ‘golden era’ and has written many essays on composers, lyricists and singers. Rajan loves to sing and spends some of his time singing on his karaoke system. He likes to write and has contributed articles, short stories and letters to newspapers and magazines, some of which have been published in Silhouette Magazine and LnC. Rajan is very fond of travelling and learning about new and fascinating places and is a keen observer of all that he sees, hears and observes during his travels. Travel and photography usually always go together and Rajan has been interested in photography from his teens, weaned on a German Zeiss Ikon. His abiding love for travel and photography inspired him to write an illustrated book on his trip to the USA, Go West Odyssey: How I Saw America in 19 Days, including in it a large number of pictures taken by him during his trip. He works actively to keep himself engaged in some mental pursuit or the other and is mentally and physically fit at the ripe old age of 90.

My creations

Salil Chowdhury: Creating Music ‘Outside the Rules’

A lyrical tribute to Salil Chowdhury, exploring his fusion of Western and Indian music, iconic film songs, and lasting cinematic legacy.

Kanan Devi: ‘The First Singing Star’

The life and works of Kanan Devi, the iconic singing star, remain an enduring testament to talent, perseverance, and grace. A Silhouette tribute.

Anil Biswas: Creating the Blueprint for Hindi Film Music

Anil Biswas, the pioneering music composer helped establish the foundational structure of Hindi film music. A Silhouette tribute by NS Rajan.

Melodic Genius: Ravindra Jain’s Triple-Talent Legacy

Ravindra Jain uniquely mastered three artistic roles—composer, lyricist, and singer—creating hundreds of Hindi film songs. A tribute to the unusual genius.

An Ode to Mohammed Rafi

The only way to understand what Mohammed Rafi meant to Hindi film music is to try and imagine what this would have been without Rafi’s contribution, says NS Rajan

50 Songs of Lata Mangeshkar

On the Lata Mangeshkar ‘s birth anniversary, NS Rajan pays tribute to the melody queen with a selection of 50 solos that have been his all-time favourites.

Zindagi Ka Safar: Songs on Life and Its Journeys

NS Rajan explores how diversely our poets and lyricists have explored zindagi or life and its multi-faceted journeys in Hindi film songs.

Yeh Jeevan Hai: Songs on Life and Its Myriad Hues

NS Rajan explores how diversely our poets and lyricists have treated the subject of jeevan or life in all its moods and expressions in Hindi film songs.

Bharat Vyas: Hindi Poetry Thrived in His Film Songs

The multi-faceted talent — poet, director, music director, singer and lyricist Bharat Vyas wrote some of the most loved and revered songs in Hindi cinema.

Yogesh: Mastering the Art of Simplicity

Yogesh mastered the art of writing simple songs withd great depth of meaning. Rajan NS explores the inspirations and ideas behind Yogesh’s immortal songs.

Pankaj Mullick: The Doyen of Film and Non-Film Music

NS Rajan recalls how he grew up listening to Pankaj Mullick’s music right from the 30s and enjoys them just as much today. A tribute to the doyen on his birth anniversary.

Vasant Desai: When Classical Music, Dance Themes and Bhajans Gained Mass Popularity

Vasant Desai (1912-1975) was a music composer par excellence. The mainstay composer for the legendary V Shantaram, Desai created music that stayed true to the classical roots and yet gained mass popularity.

Sajjad Hussain, the ‘Unsung’ Maestro

Sajjad Hussain was a priceless asset to Hindi film music but could not get the recognition that was his due, despite his prodigious talent. A tribute.