When you ask guitarists about their favourite guitar players, the usual names that come out in most cases are from the West, and it is undeniably justified, keeping in mind that majority of guitarists whom fans follow, either reside or work in that part of the world only. So, we are here to expand that horizon for you by taking you on a musical journey to a country which is definitely not the first place that one will think of when it comes to guitarists. Here’s a list of 10 Indian guitar players whom you must check out in 2025.
Amyt Datta
A legend amongst Indian guitar players, Amyt Datta is a phenomenal guitarist hailing from the city of Kolkata. An integral part of several bands in the country, notably Skinny Alley, Pinknoise, Shiva, and many more, Datta’s jaw-dropping technical prowess and his fearless, unconventional and innovative approach to music makes him an icon among guitar enthusiasts throughout the country. His latest Jazz Rock band, the Amyt Datta Electric Power Quartet has been making waves in the music scene following the release of its debut album, Electric. You can check out our detailed review of the album and an exclusive interview with the man himself here.
Ehsaan Noorani
An inspiration when it comes to versatility and musicality, Ehsaan Noorani is highly famous for his works in the Indian film industry as one-third of the legendary Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio. Apart from his phenomenal work in Bollywood, where his absolutely mesmerizing melodies have gained thousands of fans over the years, Ehsaan is an outstanding guitar player who goes around the world, jamming with different musicians and giving the audience the sonic treat they seek. He is also the very first amongst the Indian guitar players to endorse a signature line of Fender Guitars, one of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world.
Rudy Wallang
A living legend when it comes to Indian guitar players, Rudy Wallang hails from Shillong, a city in the beautiful state of Meghalaya. He is a highly influential figure when it comes to the Blues-Rock scene in India and countless aspiring guitar players across the country consider him an inspiration. Rudy is best known for his masterful guitar-playing and songwriting skills in the legendary Blues-Rock band Soulmate that has been going strong for over two decades now, having performed in several notable music festivals across the world.
Bruce Lee Mani
When it comes to Indian guitar players, the list is incomplete without Bruce Lee Mani. Hailing from Bangalore, Bruce is the founder, guitar player, singer, and songwriter of the rock band Thermal And A Quarter, popularly known as TAAQ. Due to having diverse influences ranging from Cat Stevens to King Crimson, Steely Dan to the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Wes Montgomery to Nirvana, and his experience of playing in a wide range of bands throughout his career, Bruce has a distinctive approach to the guitar that sets him apart from other guitar players. He is a very inspirational musician as well as a reputed music educator.
Warren Mendonsa
One of the most highly-acclaimed Indian guitar players, Warren Mendonsa is someone whose music soothes your soul to the core and once you tune in to his tracks, there is no way you can stop listening to him. Currently hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Warren has gained a massive fan-following with his soul-stirring compositions and mind-blowing, Blues-driven, skillful guitar-playing right from his first Rock band Zero, to his solo project known as Blackstratblues. He can be easily considered as one of the top and most sought-after guitar players and music composers in the Indian music scene. We were lucky to have an interview with him where he shared a lot of invaluable insights and fascinating studio stories, which you can check out here.
Sumith Ramachandran
Often labelled as a jaw-dropping musician, Sumith Ramachandran is clearly one of the most skillful Indian guitar players who can play varied musical genres such as Jazz-Rock, Classic Rock, Country, Blues and Carnatic with equal ease and this versatility is what makes him stand out. He has been a part of several bands in Kolkata including the classic rock act Hip Pocket, The Saturday Night Blues Band , and his own group known as Plan B. Besides that, Sumith has also been associated with jazz pioneers in the city, Carlton Kitto and Anto Menezes. He was also the opening act for Wayne Krantz’s concert in Kolkata in the year 2010.
Arinjoy Sarkar
While most of you may associate the Blues with artists like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and so on, take some time out to check out what’s brewing in this part of the world we call India! Arinjoy Sarkar, who hails from Kolkata is one of those Indian guitar players who plays the Blues in the most authentic way. He formed his first Blues band, The Arinjoy Trio in 2015, and released the trio’s self-titled debut album on 2019 at the prestigious Mahindra Blues Festival in Mumbai. Since then, the trio has played several gigs and festivals in the country and has gained a wide range of fans across the world. Be sure to check out their latest EP, Talkin’ That Talk which was released in 2023.
Besides playing with some of the finest Indian guitar players like, Amyt Datta, Ehsaan Noorani, Warren Mendonsa, Rudy Wallang, and many more across the country, Arinjoy has also performed alongside legendary global Blues artists such as Taj Mahal, Charlie Musselwhite, Sugaray Rayford, Beth Hart, Buddy Guy as well as Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on different seasons of the Mahindra Blues Festival.
Siddharth Gautam
Currently hailing from Delhi, Siddharth Gautam is undoubtedly one of the most skillful Indian guitar players who has been extremely active with his music in the indie music scenes of Bangalore, Mumbai, as well as Delhi. He has gone up to showcase his passion for Jazz, Bebop, and Blues through his project known as Django Twins.
In addition, he has heavily contributed both as a live and studio musician while collaborating with prominent bands and artists in the circuit such as Thermal and a Quarter, The Revisit Project, and Shaan among others.
Sutej Singh
There are certain musicians who enter the music circuit only to take the listeners by storm, and Sutej Singh, a progressive guitar player hailing from the picturesque town of Solan, Himachal Pradesh, is one of them. He released his debut album The Emerging, and it was a groundbreaking release because it rapidly climbed to the #1 spot on the Apple Music India Rock Charts, thereby establishing him as one of the finest Progressive Rock Indian guitar players at present.
Sutej has performed at three prestigious events in 2024, such as the Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh, Bandland in Bengaluru alongside notable international acts like Extreme and Avenged Sevenfold, and the 30th edition of The Mahindra Independence Rock Festival in Mumbai. His skillful, ethereal guitar-playing captivates listeners instantly as he showcases a beautiful blend of influences that include John Petrucci, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, and many more in his compositions. Check out his latest 2023 single Land of Gold here:
Amithav Gautam
The youngest addition to the list of these monstrous Indian guitar players, Amithav Gautam absolutely deserves to have his name here. A 19-year old guitarist hailing from Chennai, Amithav is surely melting faces with his jaw-dropping guitar skills and is gradually attracting a steady fanbase across the country.
Amithav’s first professional gig has been something that most budding Indian guitar players these days would actually dream of. He was invited by Rudy Wallang of Soulmate to join the band for a couple of songs at the 2022 season of the prestigious Mahindra Blues Festival and he proved that their choice to bring him up on stage was perfect as he simply killed it with his stellar performance, thereby getting loads of appreciation from the audience. You can check out one of the songs he played with the band here:
Now that you’ve read about these 10 Indian guitar players to watch in 2025, take a dive into their music. You’re bound to discover fresh sounds that will not only captivate you but also expand your musical horizons.
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