When Mitra Gurung first came to Launceston from Nepal nobody in the state knew how to play traditional Nepalese instruments.
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Mr Gurung since arriving in the state has used traditional music and dance to revive and sustain ancient Nepalese culture for future generations who grow up in Tasmania.
Knowing the importance of music and dance in Nepal, Mr Gurung felt a responsibility to learn three traditional instruments - the basuri, the sarangi and the madan.
He also started the Launceston-based Nepalese soccer club, and has contributed to North's Nepalese cricket club as well.
For his contributions he was recently named the Nepalese Cultural Ambassador of the Year, and while he was happy to receive the recognition, he remained humble.
"I feel a responsibility ... everybody know what a guitar is or a piano, and now they know what a Nepalese cultural instrument is," he said.
"The main thing is not losing culture. We need to prop-up our culture here.
Of course we miss our culture, our friends, our villages, and that's why I felt the need to make sure we keep that culture here.
- Nepalese Cultural Ambassador of the Year Mitra Gurung
He arrived in Launceston straight from Nepal in 2014 when there were about 20 other Nepalese people in the community, that number has grown to about 1500 and Mr Gurung played a large role in encouraging them to choose Tasmania as a place to live.
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Mr Gurung and his partner Rupa came to Launceston to further Mrs Gurung's career as a nurse. They applied for their visa late and Tasmania was their only option, but Mr Gurung said it was the best thing that could have happened.
"I can proudly say I am very lucky to have had to come to Tasmania," he said.
"My partner finished her training after three years, but we stayed to further our future."
The musical marvel had since established himself as a pillar of the community by extending the knowledge he had first learnt in Nepal with his family to the next generation of Nepalese children in Tasmania through music lessons.
Mr Gurung said it was difficult to learn the three traditional instruments, but to be able to teach he was committed to mastering them.
Without me learning and teaching this wouldn't be known ... it is keeping our culture alive.
- Mitra Gurung
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