Their bond is beyond unbreakable. His association with bamboo - covering over 12 years - has steadily fetched him success, and his fame as an “eco-friendly musician,” environmentalist and innovator just shot up a few notches higher with an enviable upgrade. 

In a twist that has Subhasis Sabyasachi grinning a lot more often these days, the famed Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad (IIIT Allahabad) handpicked Sabyasachi for their New Gen IEDC Project: ‘The importance of Bamboo Gym and Bamboo Music in building a nature-friendly society.’ 

“I believe the timing was just right,” says Sabyasachi. “By the time this project was offered, I had already gained the knowledge and exposure to contribute effectively. The project will demonstrate how sustainable materials like bamboo can be used to create high-quality musical instruments and also encourage innovation that is environmentally responsible."

The programme is intended to create a pathway for large-scale production and employment generation, especially in rural areas where bamboo craftsmanship is a traditional skill. “The outcomes should be useful to students, researchers, and musicians who are interested in acoustics, instrument design, and sustainable product development,” says Sabyasachi. 

Viewing the IIIT bond as the “beginning of a long-term partnership,” Sabyasachi adopts a three-prong approach to facilitate his agenda. “Firstly, I want to showcase how local craftsmanship can be validated and strengthened through scientific methods. This preserves our heritage and makes these solutions more scalable and acceptable in mainstream markets,” he says. “Secondly, I intend to focus on the socio-economic impact, as to how sustainable bamboo products can generate livelihood opportunities for rural artisans and small entrepreneurs. Thirdly, I want to highlight the role of innovation and product design in making eco-friendly alternatives more attractive, functional, and commercially viable.”

For Sabyasachi, bamboo has been nothing short of a boon. Reams of newsprint and publicity have successfully documented his efforts with it.

Hailing from a family of musicians, Sabyasachi received early acclaim for his mastery over the Pakhwaj (Limca Book Of Records - 2011), developing the art of playing the musical instrument “by reversing the sides despite maintaining the rhythm as in a normal performance.” Further, he grabbed the spotlight with his skills as a lyricist and music-composer.

In a diversion that surprised friends and frenemies alike, Sabyasachi struck fitness gold with his “Bamboo Gym,” emerging, reportedly, as the “world’s first creator” of the concept. “As opposed to a traditional gym, a Bamboo gym prioritises the use of bamboo sticks for specific exercises and eco-friendly bamboo apparel and products,” states Sabyasachi.   

Furthermore, he has raked in a truckload of accolades as an inventor of musical instruments, a feat that clearly sets him apart from his peers. “One of my key objectives through this project is to bring greater visibility to the innovative musical instruments that I have developed, including the Brojo Tarang (Bamboo Xylophone), Sruti, Aawaz, and Charr Tarang,” says Sabyasachi. “These instruments are the result of years of experimentation with bamboo and other natural materials, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern acoustic research.”

Sabyasachi underscores that through bamboo music he wishes to demonstrate how nature and creativity can coexist in harmony, and that music does not have to depend on synthetic or environmentally harmful resources. 

For most, the bamboo is simply a group of woody perennial plants boasting over 1,800 species. For Sabyasachi, it is simply an undying obsession. 

 -        Ajit Ramachanddran