MADE IN KASHMIR

Kashmiri singer Rauhan Mallik, best known for ‘Ishq’, is set to release his EP Karvaan this month. Now based in Noida, he speaks to TMS about home, fame, music, and the journey ahead.

- ADITHI REENA AJITH

WHEN Rauhan Mallik sings, he carries traces of his home — Kashmir — with him: in his melodies, his lyrics, and his sense of longing.

Best known for the 2025 breakout hit Ishq, the singer is now gearing up for the release of his upcoming EP Karvaan, a project that traces his emotional and artistic journey.

Growing up in Sopore, music was central to Mallik’s life. “Our prayers were in Kashmiri. We sang Kashmiri songs in school. At home, elders would sing folklores,” he recalls. Influenced by Kashmiri poets, folk traditions, and classical instruments such as the rabab and santur, he developed a deep connection with his cultural roots.

“I see a lot of potential in our land and our mother tongue. Kashmir has some of the most beautiful melodies, many of which are still unexplored. My dream has always been to take them to the world,” he tells TMS.

Now living in Noida, distance, he admits, has only strengthened that bond. After spending the first 20 years of his life in Kashmir, the 25-year-old moved out in search of work and new musical horizons.

“I always have this weight on my chest that I have to go back home. That’s where I feel sane. That’s where I make the best music. There’s something in the air there that connects me to the place,” he says.