Rupam Sarmah


Rupam Sarmah is a musician, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and computer scientist. Rupam is a Guinness World Records® holder, #1 Billboard Artist in World Music chart and The Telly Awards, Gold winner . He has also directed feature films and documentaries.
As a Filmmaker, Producer and Director, Rupam has directed documentaries, short films, and feature films. He has worked with some of the award-winning artists and actors -- Siedah Garrett, Dan Aykroyd, Moloya Goswami, Tamela D'Amico, Abhinaya, Jaya Seal, Kushol Chakravarty, Asim Bose, Pabitra Rabha, Rituparna Sengupta, Debashree Roy, Paoli Dam, and others. Rupam is directing a feature film - One Little Finger with a theme of Ability in Disability which has been completed and releasing in 2019.
Rupam has collaborated and recorded songs and music with award-winning artists such as , Siedah Garrett, Kathy Sledge, Julian Lennon, Janis Ian, Kechi Okwuchi, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Laura Sullivan, Wouter Kellerman, , Ricky Kej, , Kevin Mackie, Alan Roy Scott, Udit Narayan, Babul Supriyo, Sadhna Sargam, Kumar Sanu, Rupankar, Subhamita, Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta, Usha Uthup, Anweshaa and many others.
Sarmah and Sumitra Guha have represented India for Festival of India concerts in France organized by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, and Embassy of India in Paris on the occasion of India’s 70th Independence. The theme of the project was A Musical Journey towards Rising India.

Life

Sarmah was born in Jorhat, Assam and was interested in music as a small child. He learnt Indian instruments and classical vocals during his time at Golaghat and Jorhat. He also continued to explore other fields such as film, sound engineering and music. Sarmah migrated to the United States after completing his BS in Engineering in India. He then earning his doctorate from George Washington University's School of Engineering and Applied Science with a dissertation in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Rupam completed his Master’s in Management, Master’s in Computer Science and Doctorate from US universities. In the US, he studied with Ali Akbar Khan, Hindustani classical maestro. Rupam is a Voting member of the Grammy Awards as a Musician, Producer and Engineer. Rupam and his family currently live in California.

Filmography

  1. One Little Finger - Story, Screenplay and Direction by Sarmah
  2. Gulsher Music Video
  3. Together in Peace - Mandela Meets Gandhi
  4. We Are Love - Music Video: Participated in Grammy® winning composer Laura Sullivan’s project
  5. In Search of God - Film Director
  6. In Search of God - Music Score, composer, Sound Design
  7. Sagar Kinare - Music Director
  8. Alor Thikana - Music Director
  9. A Musical Journey for World Peace - A Musical Concert Film, Directed by Rupam
  10. Majestic Assam - Music Video
  11. Story of Gulsher - Music Video
  12. Art of Healing - Documentary, produced by Rupam

    Discography

  13. One Little Finger - Rupam Sarmah featuring Quincy Jones, Siedah Garrett, Julian Lennon, Kechi Okwuchi, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
  14. A Musical Journey towards Rising India - Produced by Padmashri Sumitra Guha and Rupam Sarmah; Music Direction by Rupam Sarmah
  15. A Musical Journey: Together in Peace - album composed, directed, produced by Sarmah
  16. The Song Unsung - vocals by Janis Ian and Sarmah
  17. Story of Gulsher - a collaboration between India and Pakistan produced and composed by Sarmah
  18. Mandela Meets Gandhi - a collaboration with Sharon Katz and The Peace Train
  19. Action Moves People United - album with Dan Aykroyd, Kathy Sledge, Julian Lennon, Alan White, Annie Haslam, Lillias White, and others
  20. #includes "Enlighten Your Soul" - with Dan Aykroyd, Alan White and others
  21. Arise Above Abuse
  22. Sounds from the Circle - New Age Album - compilation
  23. OMKARA – The Sound of Divine Love – Directed and Produced by Rupam
  24. Talk to God, Rupam Sarmah and Nona Brown, Singer and Composer
  25. Angel Blessings : Take in a Deep Breath of Heaven
  26. In Search of God - Singer, Direction and Score
  27. Sagar Kinare - Singer and Music Director
  28. Hits of Rupam - Singer and composer
  29. Priyam - Singer and composer
  30. Gems of Bishnu Rabha, vol 1, 2, 3 - Sound Design
  31. Geetali - Singer and composer
  32. Piya Re - Singer and composer
  33. Praner Gaan - Singer and Composer
  34. Sylvan Rhapsody of Assam - Sound Design
  35. Sangeetpremee - Singer and composer
  36. My Love Is You - Singer and composer
  37. Music Film – A Musical Journey for World Peace by Rupam and his team
  38. Bengali Album
  39. Bishnuprasadar Prosad
  40. Bhupen Hazarikar Geet aru Jeevan Roth –, published 2014

    Activism

Sarmah founded the One Little Finger Foundation, Idea Incubation, and media production house maZumba for collaborative content creation. He has worked on a number of projects with organizations including UNESCO-USFUCA, Prerona Spastic Society, Manovikas - Welfare and Rehabilitation Center for the Children with Special Needs, Bhupen Hazarika Foundation.
Sarmah is a producer and board member on the World Peace Project, Freedom from Biases, Together in Peace and Action Moves People United with UNESCO Center for Peace, World Genesis Foundation, UNESCO USA. The Project was announced by Guy Djoken, President of UNESCO USA and Heather Caton, Secretary General and President of World Genesis Foundation, on July 17, 2015, in Frederick, Maryland, during the first Nelson Mandela Day.
Sarmah's Omkara Music Therapy, a research-based project, is being used at a number of institutions helping people with disabilities relieving pain, mental condition, and depression.

Awards

One Little Finger , written and directed by Sarmah, has received worldwide recognitions with numerous awards - Best Feature Film, Best Inspirational Film, Best Director, Best Score and others. One Little Finger was in Oscar 2019 race for Best Film, Best Score, Best Song categories.
Sarmah has received a number of awards and recognitions for his music and film. His documentary feature film In Search Of God was also included in the long nominations for Original Music Score in Oscar 2011 race. His research-based world music project, OMKARA - The Sound of Divine Love and Gospel with Borgeet,Talk to God, have received nominations in Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2014. OMKARA was listed in Top 10 Radio Airplay Chart.
Action Moves People United, co-produced and engineered by Sarmah, made top-10 on the US Billboard Compilation Album chart.
Sarmah received an Award from Human Rights Organization as "Best Composer" in 2012 for his work as an Artist and outstanding contributions to the society.
Sarmah made a Guinness World Record on 24 February 2013 for his project 'A Musical Journey for World Peace' which united more than 500 participants from across the globe who played 315 kinds of musical instruments for world peace. The adjudicator Mr. Jack Brockbank from Guinness World Records declared it as a world record.
Sarmah received an Award on July 17, 2016 in Washington D.C. from UNESCO USA - USFUCA, Unesco Center for Peace, as "Builder of the Universe" award with a title "Cross-Cultural Ambassador".
Sarmah received a "Human Rights Award 2016" in India on Dec 10, 2016 for his contributions towards social change advocating for peace and equality, and his involvement for the betterment of persons with disabilities.
Sarmah's composed song "Enlighten Your Soul" has received "Best Global Peace Song " award in 2017.
A Musical Journey: TOGETHER IN PEACE album has made Top 10 on the Billboard World Albums chart. Sarmah created history by becoming the first Assamese and also probably the first artist of Northeast origin to get his album featured in the Top #1 on the Billboard World Albums Chart. The symphony included original musical compositions blended with folk and world music such as Borgeet, Jatiya Sangeet 'O Moor Apunar Desh', Bihu, Rajasthani folk, Classical, etc.