Jagjit ‘Nishat’ grew up in an environment rich with music and literature, but his passion from an early age was always creating art. As his family resided at Doon School, he would often watch Sh Sutheer Kshastagir, a renowned artist, working on his paintings and sculptures through the window of the art room. Perhaps, this sparked his interest in art.
To hone his skills, he began learning from a local artist in Dehradun, Islamuddin Ji. Through him, he was introduced to Abdul Malik Sahib, a lecturer at Nahan Arts College, and subsequently enrolled there. During the same period, under the guidance of Sh Jagannath Bhargava, he developed an interest in classical singing. Recognizing his enthusiasm, Sh HC Rai, another influential mentor, provided him with extensive training in portrait painting and other art forms beyond the college curriculum. He also received direction from Sh Sanat Kumar Chatterjee and Sh Jawaharlal, both of whom left a profound impact on him during his time at the Arts College. In the realm of music, he was particularly influenced by Somdutt Battu Sahib, with whom he still maintained contact and consider him his Guru.
After completing his studies at the Arts College, he established his own studio in Dehradun, where he worked for nearly a decade while also completing his Bacherlo’s Degree. During this period, he learned music from Maharaj Kishore Kapoor, his uncle Ustad Azizuddin Khan, and later, with an unbridled passion for traditional music. He also travelled to Belgaum in Karnataka to learn from Pandit Sangameshwar Guruji of the Kirana Gharana. While in Belgaum, he ran a studio for two years, did work for the military and continued his musical training in the traditional guru-shishya parampara.
Subsequently, he served as an art teacher for three years at Maharana Mewar Public School in Udaipur, Rajasthan, where he learned a great deal from the children. At the age of 31, by a stroke of fate, he began working as a cartographer for the Department of Mines and Geology in Rajasthan, a role he continued until his retirement at 60.
Throughout the years, his involvement in art, music and literature remained uninterrupted. He created artworks for the military and several other institutions, many of which now adorn homes and even some locations abroad. He has also published a collection of short stories, and four of his books are currently in press. Additionally, some of his music and literary performances are available on YouTube, while most of his portraits remain with their owners — rarely does a portrait stay with its creator.
As he says, “I continue to learn and grow each day, ever-curious and ever-passionate about my art, music and literary pursuits.”
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