Born on August 26, 1943 in the lush Okayhiti tea estate in north-east India, Gopal’s life began with tragedy. His father passed away when he was just a ten-month-old infant, leaving his young widowed mother to raise him alone. With no choice but to start anew, they relocated to Darjeeling, where they lived with Gopal’s aunt and her family. Gopal would spend his formative years studying in three different schools before completing his Bachelor's in Arts from the Government College of Darjeeling.

Despite the challenges he faced, Gopal found solace in music. According to personal notes found amongst his writings, at just 10 or 11 years old, he began his lifelong love affair with the flute. The flute became his closest friend. He carried it with him wherever he went, tucked away safely in his inner coat pocket. But his devotion came with a cost; the strain on his chest from playing the flute put him at risk of developing tuberculosis, so his mother did not allow him to play for a few years.

However, his love for the flute was too strong to ignore. Two years later, Gopal joined a group of senior musicians to play at a concert. It was a defining moment in his life when he mesmerized the audience with his magical flute playing. Senior music composer Shanti Thatal remembers how Gopal’s music kept the crowd spellbound during a performance in 1957. From then on, there was no looking back for Gopal. He won the title of best flautist at the very first music competition organized in Darjeeling in 1962.

Gopal’s passion for music didn’t stop at playing the flute. In 1963, he took his first step into the world of lyricism when his first two songs were recorded in Kolkata. The songs were an instant hit, and Gopal quickly gained popularity as a lyricist. That very year, he wrote around 15 to 20 songs and so became a lyricist first, and a composer a year later.

He joined the Himalaya Kala Mandir, an organization that promoted Nepali music and dance, and began writing plays, musicals, and songs for special events organized by the organization. His dedication paid off when the Himalaya Kala Mandir won all the prizes for three years in a row at the dance and music competitions held in Darjeeling.

In the August of 1967, Gopal left Darjeeling and moved to Kathmandu to pursue his Master’s degree in Nepali at Tribhuvan University. During the day, he attended classes and worked hard as a student. But in the mornings and on weekends, he taught music to students at St. Xavier’s and St. Mary’s schools. These schools, established by Jesuits were attended by children from high-ranking bureaucrats, businessmen, political leaders, and affluent families, while students at the university came from towns and cities outside Kathmandu and voiced their dissatisfaction with the Panchayat rule under the Royal Family. This led to an interesting mix of experiences, and a unique and diverse perspective on life for Gopal, who was of Nepali origin, but born and brought up in India. He wrote two songs for the University’s annual day program that ignited a fire in the students’ hearts, and they lifted him up and carried him around the university in celebration.

Back at school, Gopal faced another challenge. He was asked to teach music to children between the ages of 10 and 15, but there were no teaching materials available. So he set about writing and creating songs for children himself. He created a collection of songs that would later be compiled into a children’s book and tape of music, inspiring and entertaining young minds for years to come.

In 1968, Gopal was invited by the Nepal Police Force to orchestrate a musical extravaganza in honor of the then King of Nepal. He crafted 15 melodies, ranging from patriotic to dancing tunes, musicals, and comedic pieces. The concert was a roaring success, and it set the stage for Gopal to spearhead the event for the next two decades of his life.

In 1972, Gopal took on a new challenge, joining the faculty of Padma Kanya, a prestigious girls’ college in Kathmandu, as a Lecturer of Folk Music. His passion for teaching was palpable, and he remained a fixture there until his demise in May 1997. During his tenure, Gopal took a year-long sabbatical to research and study folklore, culminating in a groundbreaking book co-authored with two other classical music professors in 1977 called Sangeetanjali. His section on folk music, complete with detailed notations, caused a stir in the musical community, marking the first time anyone had dissected the structure of the folk form.

As a composer, Gopal had a deep seated belief in kindling a love for music and nurturing new talents. He was instrumental in introducing a slew of budding artists to the world of music, including the likes of Udit Narayan Jha (who would later become a super-hit singing star of Bollywood), Narayan Gopal (regarded as Swar-Samrat or the Emperor of Voice), Meera Rana, Kiran Pradhan, Indira Maskey, and many others, all groomed and coached by Gopal. His collaboration with Narayan Gopal is widely regarded by the music fraternity as the Golden Era of Nepali music. Remarkably, Gopal was the only composer who foresaw the need for children’s songs and compiled them into a book and tape called Geet Manjari. He also penned several powerful tunes for women that showcased their indomitable spirit and unwavering strength. Even as a young man, Gopal had an innate understanding of women’s emotions, and he expressed them in myriad ways, leaving an indelible mark on Nepal’s musical landscape.

In 1990, Gopal decided to establish Gopalaya Studio - a private workshop and documentation center. He didn’t want to restrict the creativity of any artist, so he provided recording facilities free of cost and encouraged them to explore their full potential. The studio became a hub for budding arrangers and musicians, who continue to make waves in the Nepali music industry to date.

Gopal was a visionary who believed in the power of music to bring about change in society. He used Gopalaya as a platform to interact with people from all walks of Nepali society and sensitize them to the transformative power of music. However, his untimely demise in May 1997 cut short his dreams of recording and documenting his numerous compositions.

Today, almost 26 years after his death, it’s time for us to decide how best to share Gopal’s rich legacy with the world through musical programs and workshops and encourage researchers to study his work, and inspire future generations.

Gopal’s compositions are being archived at the Rare Manuscripts Division of Carl A. Kroch Library at the University of Cornell, Ithaca.