[3] As a young man in the 1940s and 50's, Mohan Upreti travelled across Uttarakhand, along with B. M. Shah, and collected the fast vanishing folk songs, tunes, and traditions of the region to preserve them for posterity.

Upreti was instrumental in bringing the Kumaoni culture and music into national focus by establishing institutions like the Parvatiya Kala Kendra (Center for Arts of the Hills), which he constituted in Delhi, in 1968.

He also gave music for a number of television productions in the 80's including in a series based on Ruskin Bond's stories, 'Ek Tha Rusty',[9] where again his compositions were noticeable for the distinct Kumaoni folk touch.

[11] In 2004, "Bedu Pako Baro Masa" – a creation of Mohan Upreti, was used in Coca-Cola commercial "Thanda Matlab Coca Cola", by Prasoon Joshi, himself from Kumaon.

In 2006, National School of Drama published his biography, titled, Mohan Upreti – The Man and His Art, written by theatre critic, Diwan Singh Bajeli.