{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}} {{Cleanup rewrite|date=December 2025|it is heavily relying on primary sources, poor grammar and spelling, and possibly COI and biased}}
{{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | genre = {{hlist|Progressive rock|Pop|Hindi rock}} | origin = New Delhi, Delhi, India | years_active = 2012–present<ref name="texas"/> }} '''Antariksh''' is an Indian pop and progressive rock band with Hindustani classical elements,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Sarthak |title=“You’d be blown away listening to Jakub in a completely new avatar” – In Conversation With Antariksh and Jakub on single ‘Naaqis’ |url=https://theindianmusicdiaries.com/youd-be-blown-away-listening-to-jakub-in-a-completely-new-avatar-in-conversation-with-antariksh-and-jakub-on-single-naaqis/ |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=The Indian Music Diaries |date=18 March 2026}}</ref> founded and fronted by guitar player, singer and producer, Varun Rajput.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fernandes |first1=Kasmin |title=Interview: Progressive Rock Meets Indian Sounds on Antariksh’s Quest |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!lifestyle/antariksh-quest-interview-progressive-rock-meets-indian-music-enn24122403270 |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=ETV Bharat |date=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The band is known for the song "Quest" featuring former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman.<ref>{{cite web |last=Maareesha|first=Anagha|date=28 Jan 2021|title=Antariksh collaborates with former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman. We speak to the artistes...|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2021/jan/29/antariksh-collaborates-withformer-megadeth-guitarist-marty-friedman-we-speak-to-the-artistes-31242.html|website=Indulge Express|publisher=The New Indian Express Group (TNIE)}}</ref> Based in New Delhi, their name roughly translates to "The Cosmos."<ref name="indulge26"/>
==History== === Early years === From 2006 to 2008, during their college days, Varun Rajput and Mridul Ganesh played in a local Progressive Rock band called Feedback, with Gurtej Singh playing for Prestorika around the same time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Antariksh |url=https://www.platform-mag.com/music/antariksh.html |website=Platform Magazine |access-date=17 April 2026 |date=2020}}</ref> A few years later, both Mridul and Varun decided to quit their management consulting jobs around the same time in 2012 to work on more creative projects.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} During this time Varun and Gurtej had also been having conversations about starting a new project and were wanting to get back to music. The three of them then decided to get together and formally founded the band in 2012.<ref name="texas">{{cite news |title=Delhi-based Hindi rock fusion band Antariksh performs in Texas |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/delhi-based-hindi-rock-fusion-band-antariksh-performs-in-texas/cid/2122465 |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=Telegraph India |date=11 September 2025}}</ref>
They released their first song, ‘Dheere Dheere’ in January 2013.<ref name="Fatima-2016AUG26-TheHindu"/> This propelled the trio to record a full-length album and find a drummer and a bass player to begin playing live. To fill the role, they found Vipul Malhotra.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} Vipul was studying at NSIT at the time and was fit for the group. Finally, Varun asked his friend Raghav Verma to join the team.<ref name="Fatima-2016AUG26-TheHindu">{{cite news |last=Fatima |first=Syeda |date=26 August 2016 |title=Slow and Steady: Varun Rajput, the founder of Antariksh band, talks about the contemplative nature of their songs and why do they wear formals during performances |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Slow-and-steady%E2%80%A6/article14591313.ece |url-access=subscription |accessdate=14 November 2018 |newspaper=The Hindu |department=Metroplus}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Misra |first1=Sudisha |date=15 September 2015 |title=Home Features In conversation with Delhi-based rock band Antariksh antariksh by Mridul Kumar IN CONVERSATION WITH DELHI-BASED ROCK BAND ANTARIKSH |url=http://dubeat.com/2015/09/in-conversation-with-delhi-based-rock-band-antariksh-2/ |accessdate=14 November 2018 |website=www.dubeat.com |publisher=DU Beat}}</ref>
With the group finally complete, they recorded and produced an album during the summer of 2013 for their new band ‘Antariksh’.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Saxena |first1=Pragati |title=Antariksh: A band devoted to making soulful melody in the times of mishmash Hindi music |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/interview/antariksh-a-band-devoted-to-making-soulful-melody-in-the-times-of-mishmash-hindi-music |website=www.nationalheraldindia.com |date=13 September 2018 |publisher=National Herald |accessdate=14 November 2018}}</ref>
=== Debut album, 2013 === After one year of the band coming together they released their debut album, titled ''Khoj'', on 8 September 2013. The album was a blend of pop, rock, funk, and progressive sounds, featuring 11 tracks, mixed at the Quarter Note Studio by Gaurav Chintamani, and mastered by Steve Nagasaki at Nagasaki Sound, USA.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varma |first1=Aditya |title=Hindi Prog-rock Band Antariksh Release Debut Album Titled Khoj |url=http://www.rsjonline.com/buzz/hindi-prog-rock-band-antariksh-release-debut-album-titled-khoj.html |website=www.rsjonline.com |publisher=Rock Street Journal |accessdate=14 November 2018}}</ref> It included the song "Tum," a collaboration with guitarist Baiju Dharmajan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mahindru |first1=Megha |title=Baiju Dharmajan Forms A New Band With Kolkata Musicians |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/baiju-dharmajan-forms-a-new-band-with-kolkata-musicians/ |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=Rolling Stone India |date=12 September 2013}}</ref>
In November 2015, they were featured on Season 4 of Music Mojo, a popular music show on Kappa TV which features live renditions of 11 songs performed by the band.<ref name="Fatima-2016AUG26-TheHindu"/>
=== 2018–2024: ''Quest'' === In 2018, Antariksh released their single ‘Kaahe Re’ in association with Mrrcury Studios and Anhad Music.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} Kaahe Re has received praise for its rhythmic syncopation, melodic prowess and anthem riffs. <ref>{{cite web |last1=Bishnoi |first1=Priyadarshani |title='Kaahe Re' by Delhi-based Hindi rock band Antariksh |url=https://ahummingheart.com/fresh/listen-kaahe-re-by-antariksh/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025655/https://ahummingheart.com/fresh/listen-kaahe-re-by-antariksh/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=8 November 2018 |website=www.ahumminggheart.com |date=20 August 2018 |publisher=A Humming Heart |accessdate=14 November 2018}}</ref>
In 2019, Antariksh performed at the 10th edition of the Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Meghalaya.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sentinel Digital Desk / A Reporter |date=2 Nov 2019 |title=BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender: Meghalaya Hills Echo With Music of Varied Genres |url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/meghalaya-news/bacardi-nh7-weekender-meghalaya-hills-echo-with-music-of-varied-genres |access-date=2025-06-14 |work=The Sentinel |publisher=Omega Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd. <!-- Factiva: "Copyright 2019 Omega Printers & Publishers Pvt Ltd, distributed by Contify.com" --> |location=Shillong, Meghalaya <!-- tagged "Meghalaya News"; text is prefixed with "SHILLONG:" --> |publication-place=Assam?, North-East India <!-- the domain name is "sentinelassam.com"; https://www.sentinelassam.com/about-us states: "The Sentinel, an English daily newspaper, was launched in 1983 — it is amongst the two largest papers in North-East India", "The Sentinel is the only English daily in the Northeast with five editions published simultaneously from Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Shillong, Silchar and Itanagar." (Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Silchar are all in the state of Assam), "Focused on hyper local news content from Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim." --> |id={{Factiva|SENTNL0020191103efb30002v}} (via Contify.com)}}<!-- previously linked to https://www.northeasttoday.in/bacardi-nh7-weekender-meghalaya-hills-echo-with-music-of-varied-genres/ --></ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=<!-- "Sentinel Digital Desk" --> |date=30 October 2019 |title=NH7 Weekender Shillong 2019: Happiest Music Festival in Meghalaya |url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/meghalaya-news/nh7-weekender-shillong-2019-happiest-music-festival-in-meghalaya/ |work=The Sentinel |publisher=Omega Printers & Publishers Pvt Ltd |publication-place=Assam state, India |id={{Factiva|SENTNL0020191031efau00005}} (via Contify.com).}} </ref>
In 2024, they released their second album album ''Quest,'' which includes 'Kaahe Re' and a title song featuring Marty Friedman.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Odedara |first1=Harita |title=Antariksh’s ‘Quest’: A Musical Odyssey of Self-Discovery |url=https://theindianmusicdiaries.com/antarikshs-quest-a-musical-odyssey-of-self-discovery/ |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=The Indian Music Diaries |date=January 15, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Raman |first1=Madhusudan |title=Delhi Rock Band Antariksh Bring Marty Friedman On Board For Quality New Single |url=https://www.rsjonline.com/buzz/delhi-rock-band-antariksh-bring-marty-friedman-on-board-for-quality-new-single.html |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=RSJ Online |date=January 21, 2024}}</ref>
===2025–present=== In late 2025, Antariksh dropped "Udaan," a single from their upcoming album ''Rehguzar''<ref name="goyal26">{{cite news |last1=Goyal |first1=Samarth |title=Antariksh frontman Varun Rajput excited about his upcoming album: ‘All of this is me’ |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/leisure/antariksh-frontman-varun-rajput-excited-about-his-upcoming-album-all-of-this-is-me-101768296835562.html#google_vignette |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=Hindustan Times |date=13 January 2026}}</ref>. In 2026, they released another single for the album, 'Naaqis' featuring Polish guitarist Jakub Zytecki.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Delhi prog rock band Antariksh return with new single “Naaqis” |url=https://www.frontview-magazine.be/en/news/new-delhi-prog-rock-band-antariksh-return-with-new-single-naaqis |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=Front View Magazine |date=1 March 2026}}</ref> ''Rehguzar'' is a 12-track concept album that takes its name from an Urdu word meaning 'the path one walks.'<ref name="indulge26">{{cite news |last1=Kundu |first1=Anoushka |title=Antariksh charts a cosmic journey through its new concept album Rehguzar |url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2026/Mar/27/antariksh-charts-a-cosmic-journey-through-its-new-concept-album-rehguzar |access-date=17 April 2026 |work=The New Indian Express Indulge |date=27 March 2026}}</ref>
==International presence==
In October 2019, Antariksh went on its first international multi-city tour of Mauritius and Madagascar. They played at various venues in Mauritius, which included the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, Centre de Flacq and Triolet. In Madagascar they performed for Indian audiences at an event organized by the embassy of India in the Ampefiloha Plaza in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Oct 22, 2019 |title=Madagascar: Indian rock group performs at cultural event |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/madagascar-indian-rock-group-performs-at-cultural-event20191022134133/ |location=Antananarivo, Madagascar |id={{Factiva|HNASNI0020191022efam001rz}} (via HT Digital Content Services). |agency=Asian News International (ANI)}} Syndicated by ''[https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/madagascar-indian-rock-group-performs-at-cultural-event-119102200555_1.html Business Standard India].''</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 17, 2019 |title=Indian evening music on 21st October, at 6:30 pm |url=https://www.eoiantananarivo.gov.in/news_detail/?newsid=193 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417175414/https://www.eoiantananarivo.gov.in/news_detail/?newsid=193 |archive-date=2025-04-17 |website=Embassy of India, Antananarivo, Madagascar |department=News}}</ref>
In September 2025, Antariksh went on a 3 city tour of the USA, performing a total of 6 concerts in Seattle, Houston and Dallas, drawing participation from the Indian-American diaspora and the wider community.<ref name="texas"/>
==Discography==
=== Albums ===
* ''Khoj'' (2013) * ''Quest'' (2024)
'''Singles'''
* "Dastan-E-Dil (Shine Your Light)" (2023) * "Tasveerein" (2024) * "Karwaan" (2024) * "Sabki Kahani" (2025) * "Udaan" (2025) * "Naaqis" (2026) * "Aashayein" (Live) (2020)
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Culture of Delhi Category:Indian rock music groups Category:Musical groups established in the 2000s