Amber Gurung Smritigrantha, an anthology of essays written in tribute to the legendary composer, was published this week, marking the second anniversary of Gurung’s demise.

The book is published by Nepal Academy of Music and Drama.

The book comprises of articles written by over five dozen writers, musicians, scholars, poets and journalists along with anthologising the composer’s previously unpublished articles and his photographs.

The book opens with a piece by poet Madhav Prasad Ghimire, titled Malati Mangaleka Sangeetkar Amber Gurung, which is followed by cultural expert Satyamohan Joshi’s write-up. The book comprises essays by Bairagi Kainla, Abhi Subedi, Gurung’s daughter Alka Gurung, Aavaas, Tulasi Diwas, and Sarubhakta, among others.

The book has been categorised into three sections; the first comprising the articles written in tribute; the second part consists of Gurung’s unpublished works and the third has the images of the legendary composer.

Composer of the Nepali national anthem, Sayaun Thhunga Fulka Hami, Gurung passed away, aged 78, while he was undergoing treatment for diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, at Grande Hospital in Kathmandu, in June, 2016.

Over his long-spanning career, Gurung composed over 1,000 songs, including era-defining numbers such as Nau Lakhe Tara and Rato ra Chandra Surya.

Gurung also penned three books of lyrics, essays and memoirs—Samhalera Rakha (1969), Aksharka Awajharu (2003), and Kaha Gae Ti Dinharu(2006).