VIDWAN NIKHIL V. KUMSI was born on February 25, 1989, in Kundapur to Shri Vijendra R. Kumsi and Smt. Chandrakala B.. From childhood, he displayed a deep passion for music, and his parents encouraged his pursuit of the Tabla.

He initially trained under Pandit Bhaskar V. Hegde Muttige, who belongs to the multigenerational discipleship of Pandit Mohan Hegde Hunasikoppa, himself a disciple of the great Pandit B. S. Bendigeri of the Delhi Gharana.

On the other side of his training, Nikhil became a disciple of Pandit Madiwalayya Sali Humnabad, a foremost disciple of Pandit K. S. Hadapada, who in turn was the disciple of the legendary Pandit Anokhilal Mishra, celebrated as a magician of the Banaras Gharana.

He also had the opportunity to refine his skills at the Hindustani Classical Music Tabla Vidyalaya, under the guidance of the esteemed Pandit Rajaram Sorab. Later, he continued his advanced training under Dr. Uday Raj Karpur, a distinguished tabla player from Bangalore.

Nikhil successfully completed the Hindustani Percussion Examinations conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, including Junior, Senior, Pre-Vidwat, Vidwat and final Vidwat examinations. In May 2009, he secured First Rank in Karnataka State in the Final Vidwat All-Instrumental Examination, bringing pride to his gurus and his birthplace.

Over the years, he has shared the stage with many renowned artists, participated in Layavadya ensembles (such as Tabla Tarang, Avanaddha, and Tabla Jenkara) and contributed to drama productions at Ninasam and Rangayana. He has also been part of Bhava Gita singing platforms in his unique style.

Nikhil has performed at prestigious festivals and events such as Alva’s Nudisiri, Mysore Dasara, Sahitya Sammelana, Kadambotsava, Karavali Utsav, Sadguru Hindustani Classical Music Vedike, Mangalore Music Festival, Rotaract Sammelana, and Malenadu Utsav in Chikkamagaluru, among others.

Alongside his music career, Nikhil holds a Master of Computer Applications (MCA) degree. He serves as a lecturer in Computer Science and works as a software engineer at Easy Ayurveda, Mangalore.

In 2016, he founded the Na Dhin Dhin Na Hindustani School of Tabla, where he has trained over 100 students, nurturing the next generation of percussionists. He also organizes Layavatsara, an annual festival that encourages and promotes both emerging and established artists.