Remembering the Legacy of Mahesh Tinaikar
Mahesh Tinaikar, the renowned lead guitarist and pioneering force behind the Indian rock band Indus Creed, has died in Mumbai at the age of 63 following a suspected heart attack. Band members confirmed the passing of the veteran musician, who helped shape the landscape of contemporary rock music in the country.
From Rock Machine to Indus Creed
Tinaikar began his musical journey in 1984 when he helped establish Rock Machine, drawing inspiration from classic rock acts such as Deep Purple and The Who. Alongside vocalist Uday Benegal, keyboardist Zubin Balaporia, bassist Mark Selwyn, guitarist Jayesh Gandhi, and drummer Mark Menezes, the group toured extensively across the nation.
The band released its debut album, Rock ‘n’ Roll Renegade, in 1988, featuring tracks like “Top of the Rock,” followed by their 1990 follow-up, The Second Coming. In a 1989 interview with the New York Times, Tinaikar noted the dramatic growth of their audience, stating that crowds had surged from fewer than 800 people to tens of thousands in stadiums.
By the early 1990s, the group transitioned to the name Indus Creed, beginning to blend traditional Indian instruments into their sound. They released a self-titled album in 1995 that included hard-hitting songs like “Trapped” and the rock anthem “Pretty Child.” Although the band split up in the late 1990s, Benegal and Tinaikar later formed Whirling Kalapas with multi-instrumentalist Sankarshan Kini before Indus Creed officially reunited around 2010.
Reunions, Side Projects, and Tributes
The reunited Indus Creed lineup released a full-length album titled Evolve in 2012, bringing a progressive rock edge to tracks like “Dissolve” and updating their 1993 single “Fireflies.” Tinaikar also performed with Whirling Kalapas to deliver acoustic sets before leaving the side project in 2014 due to creative differences to pursue solo work.
In recent months, Tinaikar continued to perform with Indus Creed, supporting British rock legends Def Leppard during their Mumbai concert in March and playing an intimate trio set at a restored monastery in Khandala in April. Beyond his work with Indus Creed and his video covers inspired by artists like Steve Morse and Paul Simon, he also contributed to songs by fellow Indian musician Gary Lawyer.
Following news of his death, tributes poured in from across the music community. Singer-composer Vishal Dadlani took to social media to honour the late guitarist, writing that India had lost a true legend and praising him as an inspiring pioneer who lit the way for generations of rock musicians.
Sources: Rolling Stone India, Telegraph India, The Times of India.
