Meet Sanidhya Das, the 10-Year-Old Drummer Who’s Performing with Indus Creed This Week

If you’ve been on rock veterans Indus Creed’s Instagram page recently, you won’t see just the familiar faces of vocalist-guitarist Uday Benegal, guitarist Mahesh Tinaikar and keyboardist Zubin Balaporia. There are videos of 10-year-old Sanidhya Das drumming away to songs like “Sleep,” “Trapped” and “Fireflies.”

Encouraged by his parents – particularly his father, Subhashish Das – the drummer is now going on to join Indus Creed as part of their headline set at Mahindra Independence Rock on Nov. 16, 2024.

It’s not young Das’s first time behind the kit for Indus Creed, however. At their Bengaluru in May this year, the rock veterans called on Das to get behind the kit for their iconic song “Fireflies.” Benegal called Das up and said, “We have a special guest. He’s a little fellow but he’s got some really big music in him.” Looking back at the moment, the drummer says, “That night at Fandom, Bangalore, was truly a dream come true for both me and my dad.”

Das says he first heard Indus Creed when he was four years old. Much before that, when he was around 13 months old, his parents say Das began drumming (“Before I could even talk,” he says). At the age of three, Das had his first junior drum kit and plenty of rock music to gain inspiration from, courtesy of his father. “We’d spend hours watching drumming videos of Matt McGuire [Australian YouTuber and presently drummer for EDM act The Chainsmokers], Casey Cooper, Cobus, and other [content creator] drummers. That’s how I really got into drumming,” Das says.

When he heard Indus Creed, he got with it the story of the rock legends who have been torchbearers for decades now. Das says hearing stories from his father about the band “deepened my admiration for them.” He adds, “What fascinated me most was how they seamlessly blended Indian instruments with rock, creating a sound that was both powerful and distinct. The fusion of cultures and styles really grabbed my attention. It was especially impressive to hear my dad tell me that they were the first Indian English rock band at a time when electronic music wasn’t yet in vogue—showcasing their progressive thinking. Their rock style and forward-thinking approach left a lasting impression on me.”

It was in early 2023 that Das first got to meet Benegal, Tinaikar and Balaporia, along with Indus Creed’s live members, bassist Yohann Coutinho and drummer Pushkar Joshi at a music festival in Bengaluru. It led to the opportunity to join them on stage the next time, after having uploaded a few drum cover videos of songs like “Fireflies” and “Sleep.”

In addition to Indus Creed, Das also recently joined Chennai rock act Junkyard Groove live on stage to perform “It’s Ok,” “Been So Long” and “Folk You.” Das says, “I even had the honor of doing an encore, which was an amazing experience. Playing with such seasoned, veteran artists has been a massive learning opportunity, and sharing the stage with them was both humbling and inspiring.”

Das has been in attendance for shows by the likes of guitar ace Chandresh Kudwa and also joined prog act Progress Report for a Dream Theater tribute gig, performing seminal songs like “Pull Me Under” and “Another Day.”

While covers are one thing, Das believes he still hasn’t fully developed his own style as a drummer yet. He cites British drummer Gavin Harrison (from prog band Porcupine Tree) as his biggest inspiration. “His use of odd-time signatures, polyrhythms, and jazzy complexity has had a major impact on me. While my style is still evolving, I’ve also been influenced by drummers like Chris Coleman, Jonathan Moffett, Matt Halpern, and Jay Postones. I’m also inspired by incredible Indian drummers like Gino Banks, Jay Row Kavi, and Nishant Hagjer,” he adds.

To that end, as he shapes his own playing style and influences, it still remains a dream to perform with the likes of Porcupine Tree and Tesseract someday. Indian acts aren’t too far down in his wishlist, either.  “I’d also love to play with some amazing bands like Agam, Parikrama, Bloodywood and Motherjane. I admire the way they blend Indian influences with rock and metal, and it would be incredible to collaborate with them,” he says.

Would Das start his own band? A winner of a few accolades for young artists, he’s currently trained in drums on a grade 8 level with distinction,  by Trinity School of London. “At just 10.7 years old, I have to stay focused on my studies, gotta balance school and music,” he says with a laugh. More keen on session drumming work and jamming, he believes a band would be a “natural next step” in his journey. “I’m also open to writing and composing drumming patterns for any band that might need them. It’s something I’m excited about exploring when the time is right,” he says.