Arun Kumar

Drummer | Percussionist | Composer

Arun Kumar is one of India’s most pioneering drummers, celebrated for seamlessly bridging worlds of rhythm by blending jazz drumming, Carnatic percussion, and contemporary music traditions. Trained under his father, B. S. Sukumar, and the legendary Ranjit Barot in jazz, alongside Sri S. V. Giridhar and Sri Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma in Carnatic percussion, Arun embodies a rare inter-disciplinary artistry. He was also initiated into Carnatic music by Karnataka Kala Tilaka Vidwan Anoor Suryanarayana.

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Arun Kumar

Drummer | Percussionist | Composer

Arun Kumar is one of India’s most pioneering drummers, celebrated for seamlessly bridging worlds of rhythm by blending jazz drumming, Carnatic percussion, and contemporary music traditions. Trained under his father, B. S. Sukumar, and the legendary Ranjit Barot in jazz, alongside Sri S. V. Giridhar and Sri Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma in Carnatic percussion, Arun embodies a rare inter-disciplinary artistry. He was also initiated into Carnatic music by Karnataka Kala Tilaka Vidwan Anoor Suryanarayana.

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About

Recognized as the first artist to introduce the drum set, creative percussion, and electronic drum machines into Carnatic classical music and Bharatanatyam, Arun has carved a unique space in the global percussion landscape. His contribution to Indian classical music earned him the honor of Asthana Vidwan by the Sri Kanchi Mutt.

Arun’s collaborations span legends of Indian and world music, including Umayalapuram Sivaraman, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Dr. K. J. Yesudas, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Ganesh–Kumaresh, Sudha Raghunathan, Bickram Ghosh, Vijay Prakash, K. S. Chitra, and Kavita Krishnamurthy, among many others. Internationally, he has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Mike Stern, Louiz Banks, George Brooks, Kai Eckhardt, and Ernie Watts.

A Grammy-winning artist through his contribution to Divine Tides (2022), Arun is also the recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, a National Award conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India, New Delhi.

His performances have graced iconic stages including the United Nations (USA), Berklee College of Music (USA), Algeria Jazz Festival, Rainforest World Music Festival (Malaysia), and Krakow World Percussion Festival (Poland). He was also an integral part of Dr. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam’s World Tour, performing across Canada, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Sri Lanka, and the USA.

Beyond performing, Arun is the visionary curator of the Bengaluru Drum Fest, a first-of-its-kind celebration of drumming excellence in India, dedicated to the memory of his late father and mentor, Sri Sukumar Babu.

Proudly endorsed by Zildjian Cymbals, Mapex Drums, Vic Firth Sticks, and SE Electronics, Arun Kumar represents the future of rhythm where tradition meets innovation, and boundaries dissolve into pure sound.

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‎“The SE Arena Pack has completely transformed my sound. The EQ is perfectly tuned, bringing out every detail with clarity and punch. My drum kit has never sounded this good; it truly feels like my signature sound.
I highly recommend it to every serious drummer and sound engineer."

— Arun Kumar
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