Rakesh Chaurasia

Rakesh Chaurasia (born 10 January 1971) is an Indian flutist, who plays the bansuri, an Indian bamboo flute. He is the nephew of flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.

He was awarded 'Indian of the Year 2017.'

Chaurasia has played and toured extensively with fellow musicians Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Zakir Hussain, and was featured on Fleck's album As We Speak, which was nominated for a Grammy award in the Best Instrumental Composition category, but instead won for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2024. The track "Pashto" from the album also won in the category Best Global Music Performance.

He helped Dhafer Youssef arrange Street of Minarets, released in 2023, from material recorded a decade earlier at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, adding performances on several tracks including "Ondes of Chakras".

He also performs frequently in SPIC MACAY Concerts throughout India.

Discography Call of Krishna – 2003 Call of Krishna 2 – 2005 Dor – 2006 Call of Shiva – 2007 Call of the Divine – 2013 Finesse on flute – 2019 (with Mukundraj Deo on tabla) ZaRa – 2022 (with Zakir Hussain) Rupak Kulkarni and Rakesh Chaurasia – Raga Kirwani Talvin Singh and Rakesh Chaurasia – Vira (2002), Sona Rupa UK/Navras Records Abhijit Pohankar and Rakesh Chaurasia – Tranquility (2001), Sona Rupa Records

Awards

Indian Music Academy Award – 2007 Aditya Birla Kalakiran Purasakar – 2008 Guru Shishya Award – 2011 IWAP-Pandir Jasraj Sangeet Ratna Award – 2013 Pannala Ghosh Puraskar – 2013 Grammy Award in the category of Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Pashto in the year 2024. Grammy Awards in the category of Best Global Music Performance for As we speak in the year 2024.